Learning about Christmas in France is always a highlight during our holidays around the world unit! In this post, I’ve shared fun facts and activities for your students to learn about Christmas in France. Take your class on a holiday adventure to learn about unique customs, French Christmas foods, special events, and beloved holiday traditions in France at Christmastime.
Traditions & Fun Facts About Christmas in France
St. Nicholas Day
St. Nicholas Day is celebrated in France on December 6. On St. Nicholas Eve, children clean and shine their shoes then put them outside with carrots, apples, or oats for St. Nicholas’ donkey. If the children have been good, he fills their shoes with fruit, candy, and chocolate.
💡Try this classroom idea: Have your students place their shoes lined up in the hallway outside your classroom. Ask another teacher or staff member to place a treat inside each child’s shoe. In the past, I’ve used stickers, pencils, candy, or other wrapped items from the dollar store.
The Thirteen Deserts of Christmas
Christmas Ever dinner can last for hours in France and afterwards, thirteen deserts are served! All thirteen deserts are set out and will remain on the table for three days.
The Festival of Lights
The Fete des Lumieres, or Festival of Lights, is a popular Christmastime event in France. During this four-day festival residents and shopkeepers place lighted candles in their windows and hang colorful lights that illuminate the town.
Christmas in France Classroom Activities
These activities, lesson plans, PowerPoint and crafts are easy to do in your classroom.
Christmas Traditions in France PowerPoint
Take your students on a virtual field to see first-hand photos of the unique customs and holiday traditions in France. This ready-to-use teaching PowerPoint is the one I use to teach the holiday customs, traditional Christmas foods, special activities and events, and much more during Christmastime in France and 13 other countries.
PowerPoint source here or on TPT
Make a La Buchce de Noel Craft
If your students are “traveling” around the world, have them write a postcard to their families! This special Christmas cake postcard craft is part of the Christmas traditions in France lesson we do during our holidays around the world unit.
Our students travel to different classrooms to learn about the unique customs and holiday traditions in countries around the world.
They make postcard crafts for each country before stamping their passport and departing! See more of how we do it in my classroom and all the magical ways to teach holidays around the world.
🎄Try this classroom activity: Make a Yule Cake ornament! Make the Yule Cake craft but instead of gluing it to the postcard, make an ornament by punching a hole at the top and tying yarn through.
Lesson Plans to Learn About Christmas in France
Are you looking for Christmas in France lesson plans? I’ve created a 14-country unit for teaching winter and Christmas holiday traditions around the world. Each country has detailed, scripted lesson plans with a travel suitcase, passport, teaching PowerPoint with actual photos of the countries, and even a short quiz as an exit ticket before students depart!
This unique holidays around the world unit is available here in the Around The Kampfire Shop and also in my TPT shop.
Christmas in France Reading Comprehension
Add comprehension practice with leveled passages about holiday traditions in Germany! These passages also include a digital version that you can project on your whiteboard and use during a lesson or make it a partner game during your literacy center time.
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Holidays Around the World & Christmas Holidays Unit
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Holidays Around the World Math Games
💡Try this classroom idea: Set up holiday-themed math centers around the room so students can “travel” to different countries and practice math skills!
With these holiday math centers, (available in three grade levels) students carry a “mathport” and stamp it when they finish the game at each country’s table. Pictured is the 2nd grade France game to practice solving word problems.
For a fun day with your students, use the games for a math around the world holiday party! This post has some fun holiday math party ideas to do with your students!
Books About Christmas in France
Happy travels as you and your students learn about Christmas in France! Save this post so you’ll have it when you plan!
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