Children begin to notice the world through the celebrations, food, stories, and rituals shared at home. Holidays become one of the earliest ways children learn about culture, belonging, and community. For families who want to raise globally aware children, introducing international traditions, especially French celebrations, offers a joyful doorway into language, history, and cultural curiosity.
Many families at Au Beau Séjour French Preschool in Oakland already speak multiple languages or come from multicultural households, but even families who don’t speak French can enjoy bringing a little French holiday spirit into their homes. French celebrations are rich with meaning, rooted in history, and wonderfully child-friendly.
Celebrating the Season: A French Winter
The winter season in France includes familiar holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Eve, but the ways families celebrate look slightly different. During December, towns throughout France light up with festive Christmas markets, street decorations, and outdoor performances. Children enjoy seasonal music, storytelling, and delicious holiday treats like chocolate papillotes or buttery galettes.
French schools often celebrate Saint Nicolas Day on December 6, which honors the beloved protector of children. In some regions, children leave their shoes by the door so Saint Nicolas can “fill them” overnight with small gifts, oranges, or candies. For young children, especially toddlers and preschoolers, this tradition feels magical and comforting, and with ABS’s smaller class sizes, these new ideas can be easy to embrace without being overwhelming.
Kings, Queens, and the Galette des Rois
One of the most beloved French traditions for families takes place in January, the celebration of La Galette des Rois, or King Cake. This Golden, flaky pastry hides a tiny figurine called a fève. When the cake is cut and shared, whoever finds the fève becomes “king” or “queen” for the day and gets to wear a paper crown.
Children love the surprise of the fève and the feeling of being crowned in front of family. Sharing the galette is a simple way for families to bring French culture into the home, no matter where they live.
Many French preschools, including ABS, celebrate with a classroom galette tradition, which becomes a joyful, multicultural moment children remember long after the crowns are put away.
Music, Art, and Cultural Discovery
Holidays are an ideal time to introduce French songs, nursery rhymes, and simple vocabulary. Children naturally absorb language through repetition and music, which is why singing French holiday songs at home, even without perfect pronunciation, supports early academic and language learning.
Families might enjoy classic French winter melodies such as:
- “Il est né le divin enfant”
- “Petit Papa Noël”
- “Douce Nuit” (French version of “Silent Night”)
During December, Au Beau Séjour teachers often use music to introduce new vocabulary, encourage seasonal storytelling, and help children connect emotionally to cultural traditions. Even families who don’t speak French often find themselves singing quietly along.
Food as Tradition and Cultural Learning
Food is one of the most memorable ways to teach children about heritage. French holiday treats are simple enough for young helpers, especially toddlers, to assist with stirring, sprinkling, and decorating.
A few easy French holiday favorites include fruit compote, a warm baguette with butter and jam, or homemade hot chocolate. Sharing simple French flavors invites sensory learning: children smell warm spices, taste new textures, and build vocabulary through everyday ingredients.
ABS often uses food traditions as part of its bilingual early learning approach, helping children connect culture, language, and nutrition through hands-on activities in the classroom.
Opening Up to the World
Introducing holidays from cultures around the world is more than a seasonal activity; it strengthens curiosity and awareness of global traditions. French holidays offer gentle rituals that invite questions: Why do some children put out shoes instead of stockings? Why does France eat King Cake in January instead of New Orleans in February? Why do so many celebrations focus on sharing, kindness, and family?
Young children learn that traditions may look different, but values are shared across cultures. Families often tell us that introducing a small French tradition helped their child become more curious about other traditions as well. Holidays become not just celebrations, but opportunities to learn.
How ABS Brings French Tradition Into the Classroom
Au Beau SĂ©jour embraces French immersion and includes French seasonal traditions in ways that connect naturally to early learning. Teachers often introduce holiday vocabulary, songs, and simple activities that feel joyful but also support language development, social-emotional learning, and cultural appreciation.
Children may learn French holiday phrases, practice polite greetings, listen to seasonal stories, or enjoy sensory activities tied to holiday themes. These classroom moments help children see themselves as part of a global community. One that celebrates culture not only through decorations and food, but through shared values of kindness and belonging.
Even children who do not come from French-speaking families quickly join the fun, proudly using French words and singing seasonal songs at home. For many families, the holiday season becomes a meaningful reminder of how bilingual education opens doors far beyond the classroom.
A Global Family Tradition
Whether your family speaks French or is simply curious about global celebrations, French holidays offer joyful traditions to share at home. By bringing small cultural moments into your family’s seasonal rhythm, you help your child develop linguistic curiosity, cultural awareness, and a lifelong understanding of the world.
Au Beau SĂ©jour French Preschool believes early learning should include a global perspective. Celebrating holidays the French way introduces children to the beauty of cultural diversity and helps families build traditions that feel warm, meaningful, and connected across cultures. Schedule a tour with us and learn first-hand how ABS brings French traditions to you and your family.
