The French do not celebrate Halloween. About ten years ago they tried to. The holiday first appeared in the form of Halloween Balls for young adults. They dressed up, as they do for Mardi Gras or, sometimes, New Year’s Eve and danced the night away in nightclubs decorated for the occasion. A few years later, stores were full of Halloween decorations, costumes for children and special candy for trick or treaters. What was this imported holiday? Learned discussions on TV and in the press linked Halloween to the ancient Celtic festival of Samain. Since at least part of France has Celtic origins, experts decreed the French had as much right to celebrate it as the Anglo Saxons. But, for the majority of French people, it was a Disney-promoted foreign custom pounced upon by merchants eager to find a new way for people to spend money. And so, two years ago, it died as quickly as it had sprung up -- except for small pockets of resistance in areas where many expatriates live -- like the village in the south of France where I spend it.
Most French people don’t realize that November 1st, which is a public holiday, is actually another manifestation of the same Samain – the Celtic marking of the transition from one year to the next, when crops are in and winter looms. Centuries ago, the Catholic Church declared it All Saint’s Day ("Toussaint"). It is popularly known as “le jour des cimetières” (cemetery day) -- the day when people go to visit family graves. The earliest custom, still observed, was to place lighted candles on the tombs after tidying them. Much later, people started bringing fresh flowers to the graves on this day.
I enjoy both parts of this ancient holiday. For the last 6 or 7 years, I’ve gone down to visit French friends in Provence at the end of October. Their three daughters decorate the house with homemade witches and ghosts and spiders. They carve a pumpkin, whom they, obscurely, name Helmut, into a magnificent Jack- o-lantern. Their father cooks a feast, part of which includes the innards of Helmut as soup or mixed with mashed potatoes. Not pie; we tried that last year and it was pronounced inedible. They think they are too old for trick or treating, now, but Halloween is still fun, especially with a real live American in the house. Particularly, if she brings candy, as I always do.
The next day, though my friends are fortunate enough not to have any graves they need to visit, we grown-ups sometimes go for a walk to the nearby cemetery, to enjoy the peace and the flowers.
Entrance to the local cemetery.
Remembering
When both holidays are over, I return to Paris to clean, pack and say goodbye to my French life for another year. A few days later I cross the ocean to my other life – and the next celebration.
I will say, though, that the creepiest, wildest Halloween of my life was in Rennes '95. Bretons perhaps embraced the holiday more than less Celtic French folk-- costumes included a pregnant woman with a bloody knife in her belly! Clearly, they had NOT gotten the Disney memo.
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