Bring the Magic of a French Christmas Home with Ideas for Drinks, Decor, and Dessert

Looking for holiday inspiration this year? Consider Christmas traditions from around the world. With France’s elaborate holiday feasts and elegant decorations, there are plenty of ideas to try this season.

Tasteful, To-the-Point Decorations

A decorated Christmas tree is a must in France; baubles, tinsel, and string lights are all ornaments common in France that you probably already have on hand. You’re also likely to see fresh wreaths, garlands, and other greenery throughout French homes. Focus on fresh seasonal greenery for a French-inspired look. Many areas of France put up Christmas lights, though, much like in the U.S., this varies by household. 

Keep Food at the Center of Festivities

For France, Christmas is a celebration that’s focused on food. The main feast actually occurs on Christmas Eve, which was traditionally eaten after fasting the entire day, post-midnight Mass. This feast is called Le Réveillon, and some still begin eating it after midnight—though today, many French households choose to have the feast earlier rather than staying up late into the night.

Because the French holidays center so much around delicious, quality food, you want your table to offer a beautiful way to display all the dishes you worked so hard on. Outfit your holiday table with high-quality place settings and glassware, beautiful serving dishes and utensils, and more fresh greenery. Layer your chargers with plates for each course. Table linens and runners are also popular, and classic taper candles are always a good choice.

Start with Bubbles and Snacks

As with many American holidays, French feasts often start with champagne and light bites. This gives you and your guests a chance to mingle before dinner officially begins. You’ll likely see gougères (cheesy puffed bread), smoked salmon dishes, and rillettes (think of this like a meat confit). Keep in mind that appetizers vary greatly by region, and cheese boards—or charcuterie—are not part of this course. In Europe, that comes later.

Appetizers from the Sea

Appetizers come next. Fresh oysters, caviar, escargot, lobster, and foie gras are all commonplace throughout this course. If you want to mimic a classic French Christmas, you’ll definitely need to have more than one appetizer available. Seafood is a staple choice; your local fishmonger can help you select items like raw oysters or delicious caviar if you’re unfamiliar. 

Le Plat Principal (Main Course)

For the main meal, the star of the dinner can vary from region to region. One popular favorite is chestnut-stuffed turkey, which is a more familiar option for American cooks. Duck, chicken, and quail are other main course options that you might see at a French Christmas dinner. Green beans, various potato dishes, and other vegetables will make their appearances at the same time as the main dish. Sides include green beans almandine or potatoes au gratin. 

Things Get Cheesy

The fourth course of the night is not dessert; it’s charcuterie. Traditionally, Europeans believed that cheese would aid digestion when eaten towards the end of the meal. Now, it’s considered a savory bridge between the rich main meal and the sweet dessert course.

If you want a true French Christmas, serve your cheese board alone. A basic salad and some fresh bread should accompany your cheeses, but a French cheese board does not come with typical charcuterie accoutrements that Americans are used to.

End on a Sweet Note

The final course is dessert. There’s a chance you might be familiar with one of France’s most well-known Christmas dishes already: the Bûche de Nöel (literally, Christmas log). Other options again vary by region, and often focus on traditional dishes that are local to certain parts of France. A Bûche de Nöel is arguably the most commonplace French Christmas dessert, but if you don’t feel like baking one yourself, you can easily pick one up at the store.