Gift Baskets to France

• Public Holidays in France

  • New Year’s Day — Jan 1
  • Epiphany — January 6
  • Mother’s Day
  • Father’s Day
  • Christmas Day — December 25
  • St. Stephen’s Day — December 26

• Christian Holidays in France

  • Good Friday
  • Easter
  • Easter Monday
  • Ascension Day
  • Whit Monday
  • Pentecost
  • Assumption Day
  • All Saints Day

• Jewish Holidays in France

  • Purim
  • Passover
  • Yom HaShoah
  • Yom Ha’atzmaut
  • Shavuot
  • Hanukkah
  • Rosh Hashanah

• Muslim Holidays in France

  • Shab a Miraj
  • Shab e Barat
  • Ramadan
  • Eid al-Fitr
  • Hajj
  • Eid al-Adha
  • Ashura
  • Eid Milad un Nabi
     

In France, there are so many holidays to celebrate and traditions to partake in. Many of these holidays are celebrated worldwide, but as with all things in France, the people bring their own magic to even the most common traditions. With so many holidays, you’re spoiled for choice with reasons to send gifts to friends and family in France. But if you want your gift to have a little extra impact, take a moment to learn about some of their unique traditions.
 

• Epiphany — On January 6th, you have the Catholic holiday called ‘Epiphany,’ which is for the three wise men that came to visit baby Jesus. An extraordinary dessert, La Galette des Rois (Kings’ Cake), is used to celebrate this day; a light puff pastry stuffed with decadent almond cream filling can be found at any patisserie in France. Sold with this cake, a golden paper crown, and a trinket hidden inside the desert. The person who gets a slice with the trinket inside also gets the paper crown and is then King or Queen for the day.

• La Fête de la Musique — On a less royal but more musical note, during the summer solstice on June 21, there is a music festival called “La Fête de la Musique.” On this day, it is encouraged to play music outside so one can find pianists all over the city and even choirs walking about. The music doesn’t stop when the sun sets as dancing ensues to accompany the music throughout the country. It may not seem like the most obvious holiday to send a gift to France, but it’s certainly one where your gift will stand out the most. Try sending wine and sweets to help inspire an even more festive mood.
   

Sending your gift of choice to France is as simple and uncomplicated as the push of a button. With so many great options to choose from based on the occasion and 24-hour customer support, delivery time is only 2-3 days! Gift Baskets Overseas serves over 200 countries, ensuring that your gift never has to travel an ocean or even cross a border to reach its intended recipient. For larger holidays such as New Year’s, we advise you to place your order as early as 2-3 weeks in advance to ensure it arrives on time.
 

In France, birthday parties and traditions vary depending on the age of who is celebrating. Traditions are very prevalent for kids but when it comes to adults, a night out on the town with your friends seems to be the go-to no matter where you are. Expect to see a simple yogurt or chocolate marble cake decorated with fresh fruits, nuts, whipped cream, and even flowers to be the featured dessert. Of course, this is to be brought out when everybody begins to sing “Joyeux Anniversaire” and enjoyed after the birthday person blows out the candles and makes a wish. To make a good impression, be sure not to show up empty-handed. Bringing an age-appropriate gift, whether it’s gourmet chocolate or even a fresh bouquet, will help them celebrate their most special day.
 

In France, gift-giving in the business world is not as common as in North America. It is reserved primarily for holidays. Instead of giving a gift, it is more common to express gratitude by hosting a dinner or event. However, if that doesn’t fit your schedule, make sure the gift you give is of good quality and shows that you’ve listened to their interests. It is best to give this gift to them in person where possible, but when it isn’t it is more polite to mail it to their office. Make sure your gift is not covered in logos or even your own company’s logo, as it is considered highly tacky even to have so much as your business card attached to it. Remember that it is uncommon to give a gift right at the start of getting to know a business, so save it for when you have built a bit of a relationship. After any event, sending a thank-you card makes for a thoughtful gesture and can be accompanied by flowers or fruit. With these guidelines, you’ll soon be a pro and navigating the world of business gift-giving in France.
 

Moving on to something with a little more spice, let’s talk about romantic gifts for you to send to your significant other. The only note for romantic gifts here is that they truly are for everyone in France. Don’t shy away from sending your man a bouquet or bottle of wine to France to celebrate your anniversary. The key here is to make them feel spoiled for the big occasions and all the moments in between. We have many options to choose from to send to your lover, no matter how far away you are. Make sure your romance blossoms when you send an equal blend of just-because romantic gifts, along with big bouquets for special occasions.
 

Christmas is when families and friends gather, snow hugs the ground, and gifts are exchanged in merriment. Every country has its traditions, and France is no exception. You would be hard-pressed to find any plastic trees for the holidays as the real deal is much more popular to the point of being able to rent them even. Another big deal in France: advent calendars to count down the days with anything from chocolates to skincare and candles. And on Christmas eve, rather than empty stockings, children go to their shoes in front of the fireplace for treats from Père Noël. On the dining table, you will see three candlesticks in the center representing the trinity, and the tablecloth knotted at the ends to prevent the devil from going under the table. Christmas day is reserved for delicious food and time spent with family; as per tradition, gifts are often opened the day before.
 

Contrary to popular belief, French people are made up of more than just freshly baked baguettes topped with foie-gras and downed with a bottle of red wine. There are lots of amazing dishes and foods that the French love to indulge in on occasion. During Christmas, if you find yourself out and about, you can find yourself surrounded by unique street foods. Here, you may be surprised to find popular foods such as churros, warm apple cider, vin chaud (hot wine), crepes, and waffles. A few lesser-known foods you may see are Canele, vanilla and rum-flavored pastries, baguette sandwiches laden with brie and apples, and even brioche bread in the shape of gingerbread men. At home on Christmas day, dig into gratin dauphinois, similar to scallops potatoes but even creamier, fragrant french onion soup, and don’t forget the turkey. However, seafood is very big in France, so to see lobster, oysters, and caviar as the stars of the meal is quite common. For dessert, indulge in Bûche de Noël, a chocolate log dusted with powdered sugar and a cheese platter on the side if you prefer a savory finish to the end of a great meal.
 

Addressing a package for delivery in France is relatively straightforward. However, there are a few special capitalization rules one should follow. The last name of your recipient should be in all capital letters, along with the town name, and country.
 

The list of items you need to have a complete address are:

• Recipient’s full name (with the last name in CAPITALS)
• Company name (for deliveries to businesses)
• Building name and number (used mostly for businesses)
• Street number, followed by the street name
• Postcode and the town name in all capitals
• Country in all capitals
   

A finished personal address would look something like this:

Mille FAITH
24 Rouge Street
70123 PARIS
FRANCE

We hope you enjoyed learning about France and its unique celebrations and beautiful traditions. France is filled with rich traditions rooted in friends, family, and taking the time to interact with one another. When you send a gift to France, keep your recipient in mind, and make sure to send your love along with it.

Some quick notes to help you pick that perfect gift to France:
 

• Don’t bring wine to a house party. Opt for something sweet or flowers instead.
• Romantic gifts should be spread out between important dates, and random moments.
• Business gifts are best sent to their office and around the holidays.
• Birthday and Christmas gifts should arrive early.
• Never forget to send at least a thank-you note after a dinner or party together.
• Food gifts reign supreme.