On the eve of St. Nicholas Day, French children put their shoes near the Christmas tree and sing songs or hear stories about Saint Nick. In the morning, all the good children will wake to find their shoes filled with treats.
Children Leave Shoes in Front of the Fireplace
You're probably familiar with the stateside tradition of stockings hung by the fireplace with care, but in France it's common practice for children to leave their shoes on the hearth in the hopes that Santa will fill them with gifts and goodies overnight.
Shoes by the Fire
In other countries, the tradition varies slightly with stockings and nibbles and drinks for Father Christmas, but French children leave their shoes by the fireplace in the hope that Father Christmas will fill them with presents.
According to tradition, on Christmas Eve children leave their shoes by the fireplace filled with carrots and treats for Père Noël's donkey, Gui (French for "Mistletoe") before they go to bed. Père Noël takes the offerings and, if the child has been good, leaves presents in their place.
Traditionally French children place their shoes in front of the fireplace hoping that Father Christmas or as he is called in France – Père Noël (or sometimes called Papa Noël) will fill them with gifts. Sweets, fruit, nuts and small toys are hung on the tree overnight.
In France, children leave out their shoes or socks in front of the fireplace, hoping Père Nöel will fill them to the brim with little presents, sweets, fruit, nuts and anything else that will fit in there.
Western Europe
In France, it is less common to take one's shoes off systematically when entering one's home or to request that guests do. In the Netherlands it is a little uncommon to take off your shoes at home. Visitors are not usually expected to take off their shoes when entering a home.
Children do not hang stockings, but rather leave their shoes and slippers by the fireplace. If they have been good, Père Noël will leave treats in their shoes or slippers. Nowadays, he often also leaves piles of presents under the tree.
On the evening that Sinterklaas arrives in The Netherlands, children leave a shoe out by the fireplace or sometimes a windowsill and sing Sinterklaas songs. They hope that Sinterklaas will come during the night with some presents.
Children believe that on Epiphany Eve, January 5, the Three Kings travel through Spain on their way to Bethlehem. That night children set out their shoes filled with straw for the Three Kings' camels.
On the eve of St. Nicholas' Day, children leave a shoe or a boot in front of the fireplace or the front door, hoping to wake up to it filled with gifts from Saint Nicholas. Not unlike the idea of Santa Claus leaving coal for naughty children, Saint Nicholas might leave a stick for misbehaving children.
On le Réveillon (Christmas Eve), children leave a pair of shoes out under the Christmas tree for Father Christmas to bring them presents and fill up their shoes.
Le Réveillon De Noël – christmas Eve
In France, they celebrate Le Réveillon… on the 24th December with family or close acquaintances in the form of a large meal. In Catholic traditions, there may also be a midnight mass. However, the meal is very important and is a rather festive occasion.
THE NETHERLANDS
In the couple of weeks leading up to Christmas, children put one of their shoes by the fire on the Saturday nights before bed, filled with carrots, treats, poems or drawings for 'Sinterklaas' and his horse in the hope that they'll wake up to little gifts in their shoe in return.
In France, children leave out carrots and cookies in their shoes.
Before going to bed, children in France put their shoes by the fireplace. They hope that Pere Noel, France's Santa, puts gifts in their shoes.
Saint Nicholas Day is one such tradition, and it's coming up on December 6. This holiday has evolved into many modern-day forms, but the traditional custom is to set shoes out the evening before St. Nick's Day so they'll be filled with little gifts and treats in the night.
The prevailing tradition in France is for everyone to sit down together and feast on the 24th December for a long, often luxurious meal called a réveillon. This tends to start in the evening, sometimes following a day of fasting, and goes on until midnight and beyond.
2. Christmas Eve. Christmas in France is very much a family affair and Christmas Eve is traditionally the most important date. This is because Le Réveillon de Noël (Christmas Eve), a celebratory dinner, is held on this day with family.
In response to a reader inquiry, the experts at Architectural Digest said yes, it's totally fine to ask guests to remove their shoes, but it may be best to warn guests before they even come over.
A no shoes in the house rule is a great way to keep your floors clean and reduce the amount of dirt, dust, and bacteria that gets tracked in. In many parts of the world, removing your shoes at the door is a traditional sign of respect when you are a guest entering someone else's home.
If you were wondering if French women wear sneakers —and even in the streets of Paris, the answer is: yes, definitely! Sneakers or trainers are an essential shoe style that is found in every French woman's closet. If you went to Paris, you might have seen that uncomfortable high heels are not very “French”.