Christmas Traditions

France

Joyeux Noel!

A mostly Catholic country, French children leave their shoes by the fireplace on Christmas Eve- to be filled with gifts from Pere Noel, their version of Father Christmas.

Nearly every French home displays a Nativity scene or crèche at Christmastime. The crèche is often peopled with little clay figures called santons or "little saints." They also make a traditional Yule log-shaped cake called the Buche de Noel, which means "Christmas Log."