žThe Christmas meal is an important family gathering with good meat and the best wine
žThe traditional Christmas is chocolate log.
žOnce dinner is over and the family has retired to bed, they leave a fire burning and food and drink on the table in case the Virgin Mary calls in. Children leave their shoes or wooden clogs called sabots in the hearth for the Christ Child or Pere Noel to
fill. In the north of
France, children are given gifts on December 6, which is St. Nicholas' Day, instead of Christmas Day. The adults give each others presents on New Year's Day
žhttp://www.santas.net/frenchchristmas.htm