Joyeux Noël! Tania and Jacky went to Paris The1 January.

Celebrating Christmas in France is a joyful experience steeped in rich customs and traditions. Many of the traditions are centered around food, family, charity and the story of the Nativity. Most French homes display a la crèche; a Nativity scene at the heart of the Christmas celebration. The scene’s clay figurines symbolize the Holy Family, saints, the magi, shepherds, as well as more contemporary community characters like policemen and bakers. Mistletoe is a common site in French homes, hanging from doorframes as a promise of good luck for all who pass under it. On Christmas Eve, children place their shoes by ... Read more »