7 Big Differences Between an American Christmas and a French Christmas

Growing up in England, I’m used to the British Christmas traditions, such as mince pies, Christmas pudding, and the obligatory box of Quality Street. Moving to France was an eye-opener, as there are some big differences. Not least of which was the huge meal that occurs on Christmas Eve.

But when you try to compare an American Christmas and a French Christmas, it’s a bit like comparing chalk and cheese. Part of the joy of living in another country, though, is discovering the different traditions. And there are plenty here to enjoy.

Where I live in rural France, it’s a bit like stepping back in time to another era. If it weren’t for the cars, you could be in a different century completely. But Christmas here is just as magical, with the addition of a little French flair.

7 Ways a French Christmas is Different From an American One

Christmas is my favorite time of year, and I have my own traditions. I have two trees instead of one, my decorations go up on December 1st, and in true French style, I cook up a storm. My poor husband just rolls his eyes and gives in to the inevitable. 

We have some American friends who moved here last year, and it took them a bit to get their heads around a French Christmas. So, for this article, I thought it would be fun to get their take on the differences they’ve noticed between the two countries.

No. 1 Christmas Eve is the Main Event

Christmas Eve in France is called le Réveillon, which is when everything happens. The word comes from the verb réveiller, which means to wake up or revive, and the meal lives up to that name.

If you ever attend a Christmas Eve meal, be prepared for it to last a long time. My first one lasted seven hours, and the number of courses was unbelievable. We’re talking six courses or more with oysters, foie gras, smoked salmon, a main course like chapon (capon) or turkey stuffed with chestnuts, cheese, and always a bûche de Noël for dessert. Champagne and wine flow throughout the meal.

Many families attend midnight mass, and presents get opened on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas morning. Some families wait until after they return from church, while others open them after the meal. Either way, Christmas Day itself is much quieter, often spent recovering from the night before.

No. 2 Père Noël Not Santa

In France, it isn’t Santa, it’s Père Noël, which translates directly to Father Christmas. Same red suit, same white beard, but different name. The bigger difference is what happens when French kids write their letters. Every letter addressed to Père Noël gets a response. Not from parents pretending to be Santa, but from actual postal workers who volunteer their time.

This tradition has been the law since 1962. The French government decided that childhood magic mattered enough to mandate replies to every single letter. The postal service set up a dedicated secretariat in Libourne, a town in southwestern France, where volunteers read and respond to hundreds of thousands of letters each year.

No. 3 Shoes Not Christmas Stockings

American kids hang stockings by the fireplace on Christmas Eve. They leave out cookies and milk for Santa, maybe some carrots for the reindeer, and wake up to find their stockings stuffed with small gifts and candy.

In France, they leave their shoes or slippers by the fireplace or under the Christmas tree. The shoes are meant for Père Noël’s donkey, Gui, whose name means mistletoe in French. Some kids leave treats for the donkey, though this tradition has faded in many families.

The shoe tradition goes back centuries, long before Père Noël existed. French children would leave their shoes out on the feast of Saint Nicholas, December 6th, hoping for small gifts. When Christmas became the main gift-giving holiday, the shoes stayed but moved to Christmas Eve.

No. 4 It’s All About the Food, Not the Gifts

In America, Christmas is about the presents. The decorations. The parties. In France, food is the centerpiece of everything. Walk into any French supermarket in December, and you’ll see what I mean. Entire sections devoted to oysters on ice, multiple varieties of foie gras, smoked salmon displays, and row after row of bûches de Noël in every flavor imaginable.

And don’t get me started on the cheese and pâté. You have never seen anything like it. The cheese aisles in a French supermarket are insane normally, but they go into overdrive at Christmas. If you’ve never had wild boarpâté, you’re missing out. My French neighbor makes his own, and it is to die for.

Then, finally, the bûche de Noël, the French Christmas dessert, which is basically a chocolate log. In Provence, families follow an old tradition of serving 13 desserts on Christmas Eve, representing Jesus and the twelve apostles. The spread includes dried fruits, nuts, nougat, and candied treats laid out during the week before Christmas so anyone who visits can help themselves.

Champagne is naturally a big part of the celebrations too. The French take their wine seriously and usually have a different wine with each course. It is truly a gastronomic affair, but unlike us, they don’t pile their plates high; it’s everything in moderation to allow you room to enjoy each course.

If you don’t feel like cooking all of this yourself, French specialty delis called traiteurs do massive business in December. You can order entire prepared meals and just heat them up at home. The focus stays on having exceptional food without necessarily doing all the work yourself.

No. 5 New Year Cards, Not Christmas Cards

I’ll put my hand up and admit that I tend to wait till I go to the UK to get my Christmas cards, as they just aren’t really a thing here in France. They do exist here, but they’re not the norm. Instead, the French send New Year cards after Christmas. These cards say “Bonne année et meilleurs vœux,” which means “Happy New Year and best wishes.”

The New Year in France is when you think about friends, colleagues, and extended family. That’s when you reach out and wish everyone well for the year ahead. French New Year cards usually arrive in early January. Some people send them right after New Year’s Day, others wait until mid-month. 

No. 6 The Great Decoration Divide

In France, drive through a French village or town, and you could be forgiven for thinking it isn’t Christmas at all. In France, Christmas happens inside, not outside, and the Christmas decorations are more subtle. Houses aren’t covered in lights from the roof to the yard. Inflatable Santas, light-up reindeer, and entire nativity scenes on front lawns are not a thing. 

You might see the occasional wreath on a door, maybe some subtle lights in a window, but that’s usually it. Cities and towns handle the decorating with lights strung across streets and elaborate displays in public squares. 

Many families don’t put up their Christmas tree until Christmas Eve. The tradition is to keep it up for 12 days after Christmas, taking it down on January 6th for Epiphany. This comes from an old belief that the tree represents the time between Christ’s birth and the visit of the Three Kings.

No. 7 The Sales Come in the New Year

In America, the sales start before Christmas even arrives. Stores advertise their holiday deals for weeks, trying to get shoppers in the door. Online retailers compete with each other on shipping deadlines and discount codes. 

France does the opposite. You won’t find major sales before Christmas. Some stores might have small promotions, but nothing like the American retail frenzy. Instead, France has two government-mandated sales periods each year called les soldes.

The winter sales start in January, usually in the second or third week. They run for several weeks, with retailers slashing prices on everything from clothes to housewares to electronics. It’s when French shoppers stock up on things they’ve been eyeing all year.

The system is regulated by law. Retailers can’t just have sales whenever they want. The government sets the dates, and everyone follows the same schedule. It’s meant to keep competition fair and prevent the constant discounting that happens in American retail.

The Best of Both Christmas Worlds

After nearly 10 years of French Christmases, I’ve adopted bits of both traditions, English and French. I still want my Christmas tree up before Christmas Eve, and I can’t have Christmas without mince pies. But I love the French focus on food rather than going bankrupt buying everyone amazing gifts. The emphasis is on spending time together.

The one thing both countries get right is making time for the people who matter. However you celebrate, that’s what Christmas is really about.