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Halloween Vs la Toussaint


Le premier jour du mois de novembre est chaque année fériée.

En France, cette fête fait partie des quatre fêtes catholiques légalement chômées et figurant dans le Code du travail ....



...It is customary to leave chrysanthemums (and so rarely given as gifts) or wreaths of artificial flowers on or close to the graves.

For more information follow the link


For more information follow the link

Remembrance day  /  Commémoration du 11 novembre 1918


As you know the poppy is the symbol of remembrance in UK but did you know that the French have an equivalent “le bleuet” or the cornflower.


If you want to know a little bit more about this iconic symbol of remembrance in France please click here


Advent Calendar  / le calendrier de l'avent

An Advent calendar is used to count the days of December in anticipation of Christmas. It was first used by in German Protestant families in the 19th century.


 


In 1908, the publisher Gerhard Lang had the idea to print the first calendars decorated with small drawings. Then in 1920, small cardboard windows appeared. As for the "chocolate" version, it was not until 1958.

For more information Click here




La Saint Valentin - St valentine's day

As most of tradition, St Valentine’s day is a mixt of pagan and Christian celebration.

The Romans had a festival called Lupercalia on the 15th of February celebrating the god of fertilisation where part of the celebration boys drew names of girls. They’d be boyfriend and girlfriend during the evening and sometimes they’d get married.

Our celebration gets its name from a famous St “Valentine” priest from Rome in the third century AD. Emperor Claudius II believed married men were bad soldiers so he banned it for his men but Valentine who felt this was unfair managed to arrange marriages in secret. Unfortunately, he was found out and sentenced to death. While in captivity Valentine meets Augustine, the daughter of his jailer to whom according to the legend, he gives back the sight, and when has was taken to be killed on the 14th of February he sent her a letter signed “from your valentine”

But don’t worry, today you don’t need to be taken to be killed to sign your card by “from your valentine”!


If you are interested to discover how St valentine’s day is celebrated in the world and read a French article press on the link French version or English version.


Le Mardi gras / Fat Tuesday

En France comme à Venise ou à Rio, il y a un carnaval ou plutôt plusieurs car chaque ville organise le sien..

To discover Nice, Dunkirk's carnival click On the following link .



Pâques en France - Easter in France


In France it is not a rabbit who bring the chocolate eggs but flying bells ...

French Catholic tradition says that on Good Friday (the Friday before Easter), all church bells in France sprout wings and fly down to the Vatican to be blessed by the Pope. When the bells return to France full with goodies for well-behaved children for the Sunday mess. In celebration of Jesus' resurrection, they ring, liberating eggs who fall in gardens. It is the reason we could find sometime broken eggs! It is the opening of the Easter egg hunt known as “la chasse aux œufs”.


Easter in Alsace is synonymous with paschal lamb, it is a Genoise made in a mould in the shape of a lamb eaten at Easter.


It is a French tradition to have a family meal at Easter. Often this will include lamb as the main course which is a symbol of spring and new life.


To know more about the Easter in France click here.


You could download a drawing of the flying bells to colour here

 
Poisson d'avril 2019  / April fool's day

 Why and how French people celebrate April fools' day.

For more information check the following link and to learn more vocabularies press here


Premier Mai ou Fête du Travail  /   May day or Labour day

According to French tradition, the 1st may is day to offer Lily of the valley to your love ones to bring them happyness..It is as well a bank holiday allowing to campaign for and celebrate worker's rights (white and blue collar). 

For more details please visit the the following link


14 Juillet - Fete nationale


July 14th is a bank holiday in France, it became the French national day in 1880 (and not the Bastille day as it is called outside France).

Today this day is marked by...   

For more information use the the following link.

origin of the advent calendar

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