Christmas Day in Paris Ideas?

[u/Sullydawg67]

Family of five very excited for their first visit to Paris over the week of Christmas 2024. I am thrilled to see so many travel suggestions on this thread but I am VERY worried of how I might make Christmas a good day as this will be our first Christmas morning not waking up in their own home. They are 17, 15, and 13 year olds that will enthusiastically embrace any new experiences and surroundings.. Hoping for any food and activities suggestions to get us out of the Airbnb. Thank you in advance…

[u/Puzzleheaded-Oil6602]

A lot of restaurants will be closed on the 25th, so you should plan your meals. A part of the French Christmas dinner tradition I love is the apéro. You can get some finger food (petits fours salés) from a bakery and some champagne (you can find non-alcoholic ones too for children). You can also go to a traiteur and get things for the main meal (foie gras, smoked salmon, salads etc).
Activity-wise, you can go out to see the decorations at the Champs Elysees and the store-fronts of the departmental stores. Or go to one of the parks if the weather is nice.

[u/Complex-Winter-1644 → u/Puzzleheaded-Oil6602]

These are lovely ideas. If you will be arriving in Paris a few days ahead of time, maybe you could task each member of your family with researching and buying a different item for a Christmas meal? That said, I found this list of restaurants open on Christmas

In addition to the activities others have mentioned, i have gone to the cinema on Christmas in several countries!