How to Spend Christmas in Paris on a Budget

Having lived in the city for years now, I can confidently say that I've mastered saving money while spending Christmas in Paris. It was the biggest challenge I faced in my first few years in the city, especially since I didn't earn all that much around that time. I had to go above and beyond to ensure I'll still have enough for myself and rent after I did all my Christmas shopping and holiday celebrations. So how do I do it? I mostly go to free places, do my shopping at flea markets, and in some years, I escape to the Paris suburbs, where the costs are already generally lower.

Escape to the Paris Suburbs

If you wanted to save money in Paris in the first place, regardless of whether it's the holiday season or not, you should've settled down in the Paris suburbs. These more peaceful districts and smaller towns near the outskirts of the French capital are some of the most affordable parts of Île-de-France, so much so that you almost couldn't believe they're still part of Paris. Aubervilliers, Belleville, Saint-Denis, and Villejuif are especially known for their lower living costs, so if you spend the holiday season in any of them, you'd get to save a lot more!

Have Fun at Christmas Markets

If you're looking for some affordable Christmas shopping in Paris, look no further than its annual Christmas markets. I always visit the La Défense Christmas Market myself, as they offer some of the most adorable knick-knacks at incredibly low prices. Some of my nieces and nephews even prefer the gifts they receive from there to the popular toys I buy for them at the mall. And of course, my Christmas isn't complete without visiting Marché de Noël du Mail Branly at least once. This is the market that's near the Eiffel Tower, so you get amazing views and all sorts of affordable goodies.

See The Christmas Lights along Champs-Élysées

One of Paris's must-see holiday attractions is the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement. You'd think I'd avoid this famously expensive district during the holiday season, but I don't go here to shop. I bring my family to this iconic thoroughfare to view its annual light display, which is one of the most enchanting parts of spending Christmas in Paris. Seeing the avenue's famous trees all lit up and twinkling does the heart good! And the best part? It's free to see them! You can just stroll through the Champs-Élysées and bask in the festive spirit of the season.

Prepare Your Holiday Feast Yourself

When I was single and still had a lot of money to spare, I'd usually go to a swanky restaurant for my Christmas dinner. It's my favorite holiday of the year, after all, so I figured I deserved to splurge on a fancy feast, perhaps even in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. But now that I have a husband and kids, I've learned to prepare Christmas dinner myself. All I have to do is shop at a local flea market, cook according to the recipe, and voila! We have our holiday feast! Starting this new tradition has saved me a lot of money, which I then use to shop for gifts.

Visit Paris's Famous Gardens

I'm sure many of you fellow parents can relate to when my kids get fussy around the holiday season. The city is much busier and looks more enchanting with all the lights and decorations that they're so stimulated, they often want to go out. So where do I take them? To the famous parks, of course! Since we live near Jardin du Luxembourg, I bring my kids here and enjoy a nice, albeit cold picnic. I always thank my lucky stars that the park is often enough of an alternative to bringing them to Disneyland Paris, which is a lot pricier every holiday season!

Go Ice-Skating

In the rare instances that bringing my kids to the park isn't enough to entertain them, my usual alternative is to go ice-skating. Parc Andre Citroën has my favorite rink, and it never fails to give me and my family a good time every Christmas! Skating here even used to be my holiday tradition with my husband, and I'm so glad we were able to share it with our kids today. And of course, the best part is that it's pretty cheap to skate here. The rink only costs about €15.00 for adults and $10.00 for kids per day.

Check Out the Church Concerts

I know it's not exactly cool to remain religious these days, but I admit that I'm still a devout Catholic. So apart from hearing Christmas mass, one of my holiday traditions is to go to a church concert. My husband and I go to the one in Saint-Eustache Church in the 1st arrondissement because we know some people who perform in the choir. The church itself is also pretty magnificent, and paired with such beautiful singing, gives an enchanting holiday experience I always look forward to every year. It's become our Christmas date tradition, too, replacing ice skating when we were younger.

Host a Holiday Soirée at Home

Finally, if you want to celebrate Christmas with friends but you have to stick to a budget, why not host a soirée at your place instead? That's what I used to do when I was still a single girl living in Paris. I'd invite my friends over, whip up a charcuterie board, and spend the holiday chatting, playing video games, and ending with a horror movie (yes, my friends and I are weird!). Now that we're older, we hold more traditional Christmas dinners with all our kids, but even when it's a more festive event, it's still more affordable than going out!



It’s not always easy to save money when you spend Christmas in Paris, but it is possible. Let me share with you some of the tips that have helped me keep my wallet and bank account from emptying out during the holiday season.