Christmas Decorations in France: Ideas for [year]

Last updated on September 20th, 2024 at 12:35 pm

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT FRENCH CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AND ORNAMENTS?

You’re in the right place because, as a longtime expat living in France, I can tell you all about the traditions behind Christmas decorations in France.

On my first Christmas in France, I was surprised to find the French actually don’t decorate their houses outside during the holiday season. Christmas in France happens behind the shutters, especially in the rural areas.

You won’t find exuberant light displays or reindeer and Santa strewn across the lawn. 

When I first moved to France, you almost wouldn’t have known it was Christmas as you walked around the villages. 

The closest you came to decorations outside was a slightly strange effort of putting boxes covered in shiny paper in the trees. These would still be there in February, looking slightly worse for wear.

Things have started to change since then, and the little villages near us now have festive Christmas lights with pretty good displays.

Ready to discover the best French Christmas decorations and the stories behind them? Let’s get to it!

Christmas Decorations in France

Over the years, Christmas decorations in France have evolved from simple, rustic adornments to a blend of traditional and modern flair. 

Initially, the focus was on the nativity scene, or “crèche,” crafted from wood or clay, often passed down through generations. 

During the Reformation in the 16th century, Protestants in Germany and the Alsace region embraced the Christmas tree as an alternative to the Catholic nativity scene. 

As the Christmas tree gained prominence, decorations expanded to include, not just fruits and nuts but also glass ornaments, tinsel, and fairy lights.

The history behind Christmas Trees in France

The French tradition of a Christmas tree, “le sapin de noël”, has its roots in Alsace, a region that has switched hands between Germany and France over the centuries but is now firmly in the French camp. It was in the 16th century that the first Christmas trees started to appear in Alsace. 

The locals would cut down fir trees, bring them home, and decorate them with fruits and nuts.

Once the Christmas tree entered the French court in Paris in the late 18th century, thanks to Marie-Antoinette’s Austrian influence, it started to become popular in other parts of France.

French Christmas Tree Decorations

The earliest Christmas tree decorations were fruit and nuts. Red apples symbolized the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden.

And nuts like walnuts and hazelnuts were also popular, representing seeds of life and prosperity for the coming year.

Christmas Baubles (Boules de Noël)

As time went by, people started to make things for the tree, such as baked cookies, paper ornaments and wooden carvings, typically things such as hearts and stars.

Then, in 1858, a drought led to a very poor harvest, so there weren’t any fruits to hang on the tree. It was then that glass baubles came into being.

A glassblower in the Lorraine region near Meisenthal came up with the idea of creating a glass bauble that represented an apple. 

Meisenthal glasswork is now well known, and they still produce Christmas baubles today.

Another popular thing you’ll find on Christmas trees in France are chocolates hanging from the branches. The French love affair with chocolate heightened during the reign of Louis XV and his obsession with hot chocolate.

Unfortunately, they don’t last long on the tree in my house, as hubby has a sweet tooth.

Candles (Bougies)

There is something magical about lights on a Christmas tree. But before we had the electric light, it was candles all the way. I remember growing up, we had an artificial tree, which my Mum and Dad bought when they first got married.

Some of the decorations came from my Mum’s grandfather and dated back to the Victorian era. Amongst them were candles that clipped onto the tree, and they were real candles.

Mum didn’t light them as they were a fire hazard, but she still clipped them onto the tree.

Apparently, the tradition was that there were twelve candles each representing a month of the year.

There’s a legend that credits Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, with the idea of adding candles to Christmas trees. But the first documented reference comes from 1660.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned, candles posed a fire hazard, and people tried various methods to secure them to the branches including needles, wire, string, and even melted wax.

Then in 1882, Edward Johnson, vice president of the Edison Electric Light Company, introduced the first electrically illuminated Christmas tree.

In France, they still sell clip-on candles, although you can’t light them, as they are fake candles.

Tinsel (Guirlande)

I love covering my tree in tinsel, and depending on the colour scheme I’m going with, I have at least ten garlands. But tinsel wasn’t always available in the variety of colours we have today.

It originated in Germany around 1610 and was made from strands of actual silver. But this had its drawbacks because silver is prone to tarnish over time. In fact, the candles also used on trees had a habit of turning the silver strands black.

So, the tinsel we’re familiar with today, made from artificial materials, eventually took over. In Alsace, it became quite the trend to decorate Christmas trees with what they call “pearl tinsel.”

Lametta (Cheveux d’ange)

I love this stuff, and you’ll usually find it in bags for a couple of euros in either gold or silver. It’s the last thing you add to the tree to make it glisten. 

Known as Angel’s hair, it’s very fine strands of gold or silver paper similar to tinsel but thinner strands.

It originated in Lyon in the 15th century, inspired by the military gallons worn by soldiers, and said to be like the hair of angels.

Nativity Scenes (Crèches)

Nativity scenes in France are deeply rooted in Catholic tradition and come in various forms, from miniature displays in homes to life-size installations in public spaces and churches.

Along with Mary, Joseph, and the wise men, baby Jesus is added to the nativity crib at Midnight on Christmas Eve, you also have “Santons,” which means ‘little saints’ in the Provençal dialect. 

These are hand-painted, terracotta figurines that represent, not just biblical characters, but also everyday people from a Provençal village. 

So, you might find a town crier, a poacher, or even a washerwoman sharing the stage with angels and shepherds.

In Provence, the Santons are such a big deal that there are specialized fairs and markets in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence where you can buy them.

These figures are so cherished that they often get passed down through generations, becoming treasured family heirlooms.

The Nativity scenes often stay up well past Christmas, sometimes until February.

Christmas Wreaths (La Couronne de Noël)

Wreaths have always reminded me of funerals, and I had never had a Christmas wreath until I moved to France. Here, the wreath represents Advent and is a significant part of how the French celebrate Christmas and it starts at the beginning of December.

Traditionally made of fir branches, the wreath symbolises eternal life. It has four candles, each representing one of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas.

As each Sunday passes, a new candle is lit, adding to the anticipation of Christmas, so it’s a bit like an advent calendar in that respect.

You’ll usually find them decorated with red ribbons and pine cones, which I love as it feels more rustic and not at all gaudy.

You’ll usually find them in windows or churches rather than hanging on a front door in France, probably due to the lighting of the candles.

Where to find the best Christmas decorations in France

My favourite place to go hunting for traditional Christmas decorations, artisanal products, and Christmas gifts in France is definitely the Christmas markets, especially for French themed Christmas ornaments.

And if I had to pick one Christmas market in France to go to, it would be Strasbourg, the biggest Christmas market, and the oldest.

Another favourite of mine is the Christmas market in Reims, probably due to the fact that it’s in the Champagne region, and I love a glass of bubbles, especially at Christmas.

But you’ll also find plenty of decorations in the shops and department stores, including the supermarkets, just as you would in any other country.

A few years ago, I discovered two shops that have amazing Christmas decorations, Jardiland and Table Le Parisien.

I’m lucky enough to have both of these shops near me in Angouleme and can never resist a quick trip to add to my Christmas decoration stock.

FAQS: Decorating for Christmas in France

Final thoughts: Christmas Traditions in France

Christmas in France is fun because it is about so much more than just presents. From the fabulous food and drink to the Christmas decorations steeped in history, it’s a chance to celebrate the best of French culture.

And the best place to get your French Christmas decorations is definitely one of the Christmas markets that take place all around France. Joyeux noël!