Mike M

We are veteran visitors with a number of trip to Paris (there can
never be too many!), but are planning a December trip - the closest
ever to Christmas. We have been there at the US Thanksgiving, and the
holiday atmosphere was just beginning. To see it in full force just a
few weeks before Christmas, what are the musts? We will of course make
our way through the Grands Magasins, and the market streets. What else
should we do and see?

Thanks

Mxsmanic

Mike M writes:

    > To see it in full force just a
    > few weeks before Christmas, what are the musts?

Christmas in "full force" in Paris pales by comparison with places like
the U.S. Xmas in France does have its commercial site, but it's still
mostly a Catholic country and does treat the holiday as less secular and
commercial and somewhat more religious (or simply less significant) than
the U.S. does.

    > We will of course make
    > our way through the Grands Magasins, and the market streets. What else
    > should we do and see?

The Champs-Elysées and the Grands Magasins are nicely lit. There isn't
a great deal of decoration for Christmas.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Padraig Breathnach

Mxsmanic <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Christmas in "full force" in Paris pales by comparison with places like
    >the U.S. Xmas in France does have its commercial site, but it's still
    >mostly a Catholic country and does treat the holiday as less secular and
    >commercial and somewhat more religious (or simply less significant) than
    >the U.S. does.
I haven't been in either Paris or the US at Christmastime, but I
wonder:
- if France can fairly be described as "mostly a Catholic country",
when relatively few practise their nominal Catholicism;
- if the French generally treat Christmas more as a religious festival
than Americans do.

I readily accept that Christmas is less of a big deal in France than
in the US, partly because the French focus a bit more on the New Year.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

R J Carpenter

"Padraig Breathnach" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Mxsmanic <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >Christmas in "full force" in Paris pales by comparison with places like
    > >the U.S. Xmas in France does have its commercial site, but it's still
    > >mostly a Catholic country and does treat the holiday as less secular and
    > >commercial and somewhat more religious (or simply less significant) than
    > >the U.S. does.
    > >
    > I haven't been in either Paris or the US at Christmastime, but I
    > wonder:
    > - if France can fairly be described as "mostly a Catholic country",
    > when relatively few practise their nominal Catholicism;
    > - if the French generally treat Christmas more as a religious festival
    > than Americans do.
    > I readily accept that Christmas is less of a big deal in France than
    > in the US, partly because the French focus a bit more on the New Year.

Aren't gifts traditionally given on Three Kings Day, not Christmas?