I’m deeply sorry to hear that. I have been in your shoes for five years straight. This is the first time I spend it in family since forever.
What I would usually do, is to prepare a very nice movie, or a great videogame I kept aside for a special occasion, drink wine, eat chocolates, the whole heartwarming exercise.
Other years, I would play a MMO and have a play/chat with strangers bored to death at their family gatherings.
I guess Christmas Eve is about giving. So my advice is don’t give up on you, you deserve to have a good time, no matter what makes you feel warm.

Thanks! It isvery likely a Eratigena Atrica. The pattern on its back is identical. I safely released it in the garden.

Thank you for your reply. I think this is it. It was indeed not aggressive. Now that I know it’s inoffensive, I will be more careful in the future

Big nasty spiders that bite you usually give you necrosis. Does that count?

Pas si vite mon ami :) https://www.rtl.fr/actu/international/qu-est-ce-que-l-araignee-recluse-tres-venimeuse-qui-vit-en-france-7800777120

I’m half joking, cases are so rare it’s a non event.

Thank for your answer.
ITT I read that it could also be a radiated wolf spider. In any case it was big, bigger than other big a** spiders I found at this place. But what do I know, I’m definitely not a country person.

I just checked after this comment and they can been seen in France. Pretty unusual, still.

Sorry about that

Looks like a giant house spider. Another lemming suggested a brown recluse. One is harmless, and the other can kill you. Squach it or leave it, hard to tell.

Thanks for the answer. Living in France. I didn’t hear of dangerous species of spiders here. But this one had me look twice.