The residual benefit of the economic crisis seems to be that winter sales are happening earlier and earlier (hello Net-A-Porter 70 percent reduction; goodbye Christmas presents for distant relatives). But Paris’ few-and-far-between soldes (sales, but French) still don’t start until the first week of January. We'll call it fashionably late, or something.

When I lived in Paris, the rent on my tiny apartment was so excessively high that I couldn’t even afford underwear unless it was sale season. Thus, I thoroughly vouch for the importance of the soldes, whether you are in desperate need of socks or last season’s Céline. And, in a kind-of-amazing, kind-of-bizarre festive giveaway, Airbnb has designed a contest where you can win a pre-sale sleepover on January 6 underneath the famous Galeries Lafayette dome.

If you visit the Airbnb listing for Galeries Lafayette before December 28 and tell them why you want to go hang out there, you can win return airfare, a few days of Parisian accommodation (including the sleepover) and a 200€ shopping voucher. That’s probably only enough for some designer hosiery on reduction, but the opportunity for a free trip to Paris, a tour of the store and a fancy dinner has to be worth the potential awkwardness of sleeping next to the other five winners and a whole bunch of mannequins dressed in Armani. Plus, you know how everyone feels about French pharmacies. Imagine how much Embryolisse you could bring back. Bonne chance, mes amis and joyeux noël.

—Olivia J. Singer

Photos courtesy of Airbnb.