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The standard holidays including New Year, Valentine Day, Easter, Armistace Day, and Christmas are all important in France. The best known uniquely French holiday is Bastille Day. The two most important holidays for children in France are Easter and Christmas which is the case in much of Europe.
1ér janvier. New Year is one of the oldest and most universally celebrated holiday around the world--although the fate of celebration varied. The same is true of France. After the Christmas celebrations this was another opportunity to celebrate. The Romans celebrated the New Years, but an enprecise calendar caused the celebration to slip. Jukius Ceasar himseld set the date at January 1 in what came to be called the Julian calendar. The Church susequently frowed on celebrating pagan festivals. It was, however, a difficult celebration to sasmp out. And imperfections in the Julian calendar caused the date to slip over time. Thus New Years was being celecrated between the end of March and the beginning of April, essentially the arrival of Spring. This finally changed in 1582. The reformed or Gregorian calendar was adopted in France. And the French began celebrating NewYears on January 1. Families and friends like to dine together once again at Le Réveillon or Fête de Saint-Sylvestre. At midnight, people go out into the street to share New Years greetiungs with friends ad neighbors. There are many regional variations. In the Midi Pyrenees, the people attend evening mass and then join a procession to the vineyards and pick grapes at midnight. Presumably this is symbolic as there woud be no grapoes in January. Paris like other capitals celebrate a more bousterous Christmas. There is a 2-day festival. Thousands of performers from all over the world help to celebrate New Years in Paris. RheEifel Tower has become a centerpirce. Special lights were added in 2009. There is parade through Chantilly on the 31st December and then on the 1st January the gala moves to the Trocadéro, under the Eiffel Tower. New Years Day is a day for exchanging gifts and festive cards. Some traditionalists insist on giving presents and cards on New Years rather than Christmas.
14 février
1ér avril. This is April's fools in France (figure 1). It is called "Poisson d'avril". Fake humerous gifts or cards depicting fish are given on April 1st. Practical jokes became popular toi remind people that it is not the true New Year anymore. as it was during the medieval period.
Mars ou avril. n Monday all is closed. Les cloches de Päques apportent des oeufs aux enfants ( the bells which are coming from Roma ; bring eggs for the children ). Easter is called Pâques in France. It is one of the most impoprtant holiday celebrations for
French children. As in America and many other European countries, the religious message
of Easter is increasingly being drowned out by te commercialization of the holiday. The
children as in many other country receive colorfully decorated eggs. The French begin their
Easter season several weeks before Easter actually begins. Shop windows are gayly
decorated in a festive collection of white and dark chocolate rabbits, chickens, bells and
fish. Much of this occurs in other countries, but bells and fish are an important part of the French Easter tradition.
1ér mai
8 mai. This holiday celebrates the Allied victory over the NAZIs in World War II. The Germans surendered to the Allies on May 8, 1945.
25 mai.
15 juin.
Juin
14 juillet. Bastille Day is the most importantbnational celebration with a military
procession. It honors the seizure of the Bastill fortress by the people of Paris which launched the French Revolution.
Aout
1ér novembre.
11 november. Armistace day honors those who served in World War I. November 11, 1918 is the day the Germans agreed to an Armistace ending World War I. The Allies refused to deal with the Kaiser or the German military. An Armistace was only accepted once the Kaiser abdigated and fled to the Netherlands and a civilian provisional government was formed. France's loss in the number of men killed and wouunded was enormous.
25 décembre. Christmas of course is the most important holiday clebration for children. The French Christmas in the 21st century is an interesting mix of tradition and modern innovations. French children traditionally with great hope and anticipation put their shoes by the hearth. Nearly every French home at Christmastime displays a Nativity scene or creche, which serves as the focus for the Christmas celebration. Although the use of the Yule log has faded, the French make a traditional Yule log-shaped cake called the buche de Nol, which means "Christmas Log." The cake, among other food in great abundance is served at the grand feast of the season, which is called le rveillon. French children traditionally received gifts from Père Noel who travels with his stern disciplinarian companion Père Fouettard, but today Père Fouettard has almost disappeared.
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