Christmas in France

Christmas in France falls on December 25 (main celebration often on the evening of December 24). For many families the celebration stretches across several days, with quieter moments at home alongside the busier public events.

Many homes display a small nativity scene called a crèche, often with handmade clay figurines known as santons in Provence. Children commonly leave their shoes by the fireplace or the tree on Christmas Eve. Families gather for a long, multi-course meal that can run into the early hours of December 25.

Réveillon often includes oysters, smoked salmon, foie gras and a roast such as capon or turkey with chestnut stuffing. The traditional dessert is a bûche de Noël, a rolled sponge cake shaped like a yule log. In Provence, families set out thirteen small desserts.

Younger children commonly receive their main gifts overnight on Christmas Eve, found by their shoes or under the tree on Christmas morning. Older children and adults often exchange gifts on December 25.

The festive figure most associated with Christmas in France is Père Noël. Names, costumes and gift giving dates can vary from family to family and from region to region.

In Provence, the tradition of thirteen desserts at Christmas represents Jesus and the twelve apostles, and the table is often left set for three days.

For most families in France, Christmas is not a single day. It is a stretch of four to six weeks that starts in late November and runs into early January. Advent shapes the first half. Shops, streets and homes warm up gradually. By the time the main date of December 25 (main celebration often on the evening of December 24) arrives, the city has already been festive for a month.

The week between Christmas and the New Year is quieter than the build up. Many workplaces close. People visit older relatives, take long walks, eat the leftovers slowly and watch the same films they watched as children. Epiphany on January 6 closes the season in most Christian traditions.

• How early the season starts. Christmas lights in France usually appear in the second half of November, well before December begins.
• How small the gift exchange can feel compared with the food, the music and the time spent at the table. Christmas here is more about gathering than about unwrapping.
• How important Père Noël is to the children, and how stories about the gift bringer differ from town to town and from family to family.
• That most shops close on the main holiday. Plan grocery runs a day in advance and you will avoid the only stressful part of the trip.

Christmas markets and main festive events usually run from late November to a few days before December 25. If you want the full atmosphere, aim for the first or second week of December. Book trains and intercity buses early. Prices on the busiest travel days can double.

Pack for the weather you would expect in late winter in this region, plus one warmer layer for evenings outside. Bring small gifts if you are staying with a family. A box of sweets from your own country always lands well.

For the rituals, dishes and gift bringers in other countries, browse our Christmas around the world hub or compare customs side by side in the Christmas Traditions Explorer.

Most households start the Christmas list in the first week of December: who is coming, who is cooking, who is travelling and on which day. Gift shopping is usually finished by the second or third weekend of December. The last week is for food, decoration and the small rituals that children remember more than the presents.

Our Christmas checklist works for this kind of season. If the budget is tight this year, the Christmas on a budget guide has ideas that fit most households.