Christmas Dinner & New Year's Eve in Paris: Mademe Brasserie (Eif.Tower) & Ste Chapelle Concert?

What an exciting time for you and your family. In 2016, my husband, adult son and I spent Christmas in Paris. People were out and about on Christmas Eve and Day. There was an infectious mood of festivity. There were crepe carts, chestnut carts, busy churches, including Notre Dame (sigh!) and Sacre Coeur but many fewer cars and buses, so Paris was even more of a walking city. Do yourselves a favor, if you're up to it, and go inside Sacre Coeur. It will be elbow to elbow but the displays are beautiful and the choirs uplifting. Walk down the Champs Elysees which is lit for the Christmas season. It's quite the show. We are going again this year and hopefully will score tickets to the Summit of the ET on Christmas Day.

I am not much of a betting individual to the point of making expensive dinner reservations which cannot be canceled with no reimbursement especially on the night after a long flight. If you do go though, I don't think you would need to buy a timed ticket. The restaurant will reserve tickets to the first floor. From there, I believe that you can just walk up to the 2nd (someone correct me if I am wrong). Would you consider visiting the Eiffel Tower Christmas Day but not having dinner at Madame Brasserie until the next day or just having dessert in the Lounge which doesn't require reservations? I'm concerned that the energy and excitement that you and your children feel now won't be reality due to possible jet lag. We visited the Eiffel Tower on Christmas Eve and then took the Seine boat ride at the bottom of the tower. Your kids will love the twinkling lights that will be seen from the boat.
Recently someone posted about taking kids to the Eiffel Tower on the day of arrival. You might read it. It wasn't a good decision for them due to being exhausted.
It is a magical city and at a magical time. You must be thrilled to give your kids the opportunity of a lifetime.

Thank you for this feedback and the suggestions! I don't see a place called the Lounge within the Eiffel Tower - but it looks like they have another grab and go food option on the first and second floors. I agree that there is a risk with booking the nonrefundable Madame Brasserie option. Re: boat ride, do you think we can wait until we get to the Eiffel Tower to decide. We could base it on how the kids are doing fatigue wise. Or would we have to get a reservation in advance esp. given it's Christmas Day? I don't think all of them operate on Christmas Day? Also, do you have a particular company you recommend?

I believe that The Lounge is a part of Madame Brasserie (take a look at their website). It is chock full and therefore a bit cumbersome to weed through. If you did go to The Lounge, you would have to arrange tickets for the Eiffel Tower yourself. I do buy those in advance online. Why not go to the Summit which also qualifies you to go to the 2nd and 1st Floors in that order?

"Rick Steves Paris" (which was just published) recommends Vedettes de Paris for Seine cruises. I know that others here also like Vedettes. It's a great guide and I recommend that you get it. There is so much information in his book. We've always just shown up for the cruise after visiting the ET when it was convenient for us. If you don't book sights (other than the ET) on your arrival date, it makes it easier to go with the flow and see how the kids and you fare. Just strolling around Paris on Christmas is so delightful especially walking down the Champs Elysees, going to Montmartre (including Sacre Coeur), climbing the Eiffel Tower, taking a Seine cruise, etc. I would make dinner reservations for Christmas Eve and Day, though.

Reservations someplace will be necessary in order to eat on Christmas Day. A brasserie would be less expensive and may have more than a fixed menu.

Your other choice if you don't have reservations will be ethnic restaurants or stands.