French Christmas Style Is Elevated but Surprisingly Doable—Here’s How to Get the Look

It’s been a year for French style—from knockout French clothing brands appearing on best-dressed influencers to the viral French woman blurred lip, it’s all superbe. (There’s even a move toward following their nutrition rules, so cheers to that.) Naturally, during the holiday season, my mind turns to the nation’s distinctive, elevated and, to my mind, magical decoration for the home and table. (Hint: It's lighter and brighter than that Ralph Lauren Christmas trend.)

But how can a humble New World homemaker possibly capture some of that Old World magic? I asked Paula Danyluk, owner of The Paris Market shops in Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina, how to interpret French holiday décor. Danyuk sources goods for her boutiques during international buying trips, in 15 years of business, she knows what resonates with a U.S. market eager for a little French dressing. Here are her tips:

"We've gone viral for this twice now, and these are some of our favorite findings!" Danyuk says about French fèves, the clay fashioned, hand-painted traditional French figurines she sources from Provence. "There are many examples of women in Provencal costume, folk tale characters and French nativity figures. Traditionally the ceramic baby Jesus figurine was hidden in the Galette de Rois (King Cake or Three Kings Cake) twelve days after Christmas to celebrate Epiphany, and whoever received the piece with the figurine hidden inside received a prize," she explains. Other ideas include fashioning jingle bells to a door for a cheery welcome and displaying an advent calendar of treats.