by Arthur, age 7, asks Pere Noel do you travel with a donkey named Gui instead of reindeer?, about the Seine River, and France’s shoes-by-the-fireplace tradition
Dear Pere Noel,
My name is Arthur and I am 7 years old. I live in Paris, France, where my papa takes me to see the Christmas windows on the big department stores every December, all moving and lit up like tiny stages.
First, do you travel with a donkey named Gui instead of reindeer?
Second, a geography question: what river runs through Paris?
Third, a school question about my country: why do French children put shoes by the fireplace instead of stockings?
I left you buche de Noel and tea.
Love, Arthur, age 7, Paris, France, Paris, France
From the Desk of Pere Noel
Dear Arthur, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Do you travel with a donkey named Gui instead of reindeer?
In some old French tales, yes, a small grey donkey named Gui, mistletoe in French, helps me carry gifts through villages too narrow or snowy for the full sleigh, working alongside the reindeer rather than replacing them.
What river runs through Paris?
The Seine River winds right through the heart of Paris, past the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame, its bridges strung with lights that make for one of the loveliest views on my entire European route.
Why do French children put shoes by the fireplace instead of stockings?
This tradition traces back to the older custom of Saint Nicholas, whose feast day on December 6th long predates the modern Pere Noel, when children would leave their shoes out to be filled with small gifts overnight. As the two traditions blended over the centuries, the shoes by the fireplace remained.
Joyeux Noel, Arthur.
Ho ho ho, Pere Noel
