Christmas in France
Christmas in France with children
French children don't hang stockings. On Christmas Eve they leave their shoes by the fireplace or under the tree, and Père Noël fills them overnight. The family feast, le réveillon, happens that evening, and dessert is a cake shaped like a log: la bûche de Noël.
In this guide
The French Christmas season, in order
- December: l’Avent. The Advent calendar, le calendrier de l’Avent, opens one small door a day from 1 December. Town squares fill with Christmas markets, les marchés de Noël. Strasbourg’s is the best known.
- 6 December: la Saint-Nicolas. In the north and east of France, Saint Nicolas visits with his donkey and leaves sweets and gingerbread. Children leave out a carrot for the donkey.
- 24 December: le réveillon. The long family dinner on Christmas Eve. Before bed, children put their shoes by the fireplace or under the tree.
- 25 December: Noël. Presents beside the shoes, a family lunch, and la bûche de Noël for dessert.
- January: la galette des rois. The season closes with a cake, a hidden charm and a paper crown.
What French children do that yours might not
- Shoes, not stockings. Les chaussures devant la cheminée, shoes by the fireplace. No fireplace? Under the tree works just as well.
- A crèche. Many homes set up a nativity scene. In Provence the figures are little painted clay santons.
- Thirteen desserts. Provençal families end the réveillon with les treize desserts: dried fruit, nuts, nougat and more, all on the table at once.
- A late night. The réveillon can run past midnight. Small children go to bed early and wake to presents.
A summer Christmas, in French
If your Christmas is a beach day, keep the French and swap the weather. Il fait chaud ! It’s hot. On va à la plage ? Shall we go to the beach? Père Noël has been known to wear shorts.
One phrase to start with
Say Joyeux Noël at breakfast from 1 December. By the twenty-fifth, your child may say it first.
Free bedtime script
Christmas Eve is still a bedtime
After the réveillon and the shoes by the fireplace, the night ends the way every night does: in French, at the bedroom door.
Ten bedtime phrases, each with a say-it guide, on one page for the bedroom door.
Voilà, it's on its way
Check your inbox in the next few minutes.
That didn't send, but the script is still yours.
Download it now (PDF)Questions parents ask
When do French families open their presents?
Some open them late on 24 December, after the réveillon. Others wait for Christmas morning. Both are common; it's a family habit, not a rule.
Do French children hang stockings?
Traditionally no. They leave their shoes, or slippers, by the fireplace or under the tree for Père Noël to fill. A few families do stockings now too.
What do the French call Santa Claus?
Le Père Noël, Father Christmas. He comes on the night of 24 December.
When do the French celebrate Christmas?
On the evening of 24 December with the réveillon dinner, and on 25 December with presents and a family lunch. The season opens with Advent and closes with the galette des rois in January.
What do the French eat at Christmas?
The réveillon often brings oysters, smoked salmon, foie gras and a roast, traditionally turkey with chestnuts. Dessert is la bûche de Noël. In Provence, families serve thirteen desserts at once.
Keep going
Updated 16 October 2026