Paris is Feeling the Holiday Spirit – And So Are We!

Holiday lights along Rue Cler. © 2015, David C. Phillips.

It’s the magical holiday season in Paris! The time of year when Parisians are busy doing last minute Christmas shopping and planning family dinners together, preparing for those special Christmas and New Year’s traditions. This year, family for the French is more important than ever, to remember the moments of joy and sadness – and to remember how lucky we are to be together.

In honor of the season, our friend and talented photographer, David C. Phillips, put together a wonderful video of Paris during Christmas. Sit back and let the sparkling lights fill you with that warm, joyful holiday spirit!

The lights aren’t the only good thing about the holidays. Some of my favorite markets to peruse — rue Cler, Pont de l’Alma, Boulevard de Grenelle — are filled with special foods this time of year:  mushrooms, truffles, boars’ heads, geese, special chickens from Bresse and winter fruits and vegetables. My favorite butchers, bakeries, restaurants, bistros and pastry shops are also prepped for the holidays. Philippe has invited friends for lunch this Christmas weekend and he’s already ordered the best Choucroute in Paris from Davoli on rue Cler.  They recognize him after all these years, and joke about all the times they had to prepare special sealed packages for Philippe to travel to London with.

Winter mushrooms and squash.

Davoli has the best Choucroute in all of Paris! Find them at 34 rue Cler.

Signs of Christmas on rue Cler

The Champs Elysées Christmas Market. © 2015, David C. Phillips.

Being in Paris this time of year makes me reflect on the wonderful decades we’ve spent together in this city – me and my crazy French surgeon husband. Our children currently live in the US, so more than ever, we’re trying to build a life that embraces Paris. We want our children and future grandchildren to understand and integrate this amazing culture into their own hearts and homes, the irreplaceable French traditions that we join to celebrate every year. From our home to yours, we wish you a very happy holiday time!

(Image Credits: Video and some images by David C. Phillips. Other images by Hannah Wilson.)