In keeping with northern European traditions, Saint Nicholas visits local French schools to bring good cheer and some treats! Luckily, his partner Père Fouettard, who usually hands out coal to naughty children, is away looking after his sick donkey today.

Twenty-one thousand letters to Santa Claus were sent this year in Marseille. As if he didn't have enough on his plate, Saint Nick will send a handwritten response to each one, as long as their senders are on his "nice" list (and indicated their return address)!

What is the French traditional holiday fare? You'd be surprised... While the classic turkey with chestnut stuffing is still on the menu, some people are getting off the beaten track, pairing classic dishes with ethnic food. Foie gras samosas, anyone? Or how about imitation caviar truffles?

Some Alsace residents take Christmas decorating very seriously. From two men who go all out with phantasmagoric light displays to a woman who opts for a subtler, 1940s décor, you'll find some different takes on what it means to be in the "Christmas spirit" in this video.

Rumor has it that Parisians bicyclists are undisciplined. Is this true? Allessandro Di Sarno is out on the streets of Paris to find out for himself and carries out his own humorous inquiry...

A group of high school friends from the Haute-Savoie town of Scionzier are trying to stop the destruction of a small farm building they discovered and restored. One of their efforts is the organization of a community yard sale for the town.

Human rights are an important world issue, and children's rights are no exception. In this Yabla exclusive, Marie and Sakhoura list the key points of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This video describes a Christmas celebration at the Secours Populaire, an organization in France that helps underprivileged children and families, without passing judgment on their plight. Here they are celebrating Christmas with a big snack, gifts, chocolates, and a magic show.

In this nursing home in France's Pays de la Loire, musical therapy is used to stimulate the minds of residents suffering from Alzheimer's and other mental disorders. The directors of the program and the home explain the benefits of this still underdeveloped technique.

At Les Jardins de Sophia (Sophia's Gardens), a new, non-medicinal approach to treating Alzheimer's patients is giving hope to their families and being noticed by medical authorities.

Alice is fighting for a great cause: animal abandonment. She rescued her dog, Gadoue, named after the muddy terrain where he was found, through "Réflexe Adoption," an organization dedicated to animal welfare.

French customs coast guards don't miss much, whether it's a freighter carrying drug traffickers or just a casual sailboat. But their main goal is to keep their country's waters pollution-free.

This news report follows up on the squatters in Cachan, who receive good news from the mayor: after six weeks spent in a gymnasium, they're being relocated to a hostel with real accommodations.

The actress Aïssa Maïga talks about her work for UNESCO, which has partnered with Always to promote literacy among women and girls in Senegal and other countries.

Volunteer Fanny Cardot presents TransForme, an association that promotes organ donation through sport. Happy to hear about the good work TransForme is doing? Don't forget to register as a donor!