Christmas in Cavaillon
Wow -- Christmas is tomorrow! Don’t get me wrong. It still feels like Christmas, just… DIFFERENT.So, you all probably want to know what the Christmas season is like here in France, huh? Well, I’ll give you my very limited observations and perceptions and you can take them for what they’re worth. :o)
*While Christmas is a big deal here, it’s a bigger deal in the States, I think. It’s hard to pinpoint the reasons for this impression, but I think it’s just.
*The town’s major streets have decorations and the centre ville (downtown) has holiday music playing. My favorite decoration is the bedecked étoile, the marble star of the main roundabout. (Sorry, no photo!) It’s all very festive.
*Do you all have those hanging Santa-with-backpack decorations? Actually, here they’re hanging Pères de Noël (since Santa doesn't exist over here). They’re e v e r y w h e r e! It’s quite a trend. Not many people decorate their houses apart from them. A few have Christmas lights, but not like in the U.S. Here are a few shots I snuck of my neighborhood’s collection:
*I just found out that Christmas Eve is a big affair. I don’t believe most churches do a Christmas Eve service, though the Catholics have their midnight masses. The evening is spent at home (with family, friends, or other party goers -- as the case may be) and includes a meal that’s just as big as Christmas Day's, complete with singing and celebratory fun afterwards. The evening is usually very late.
*Tradition states you put your slippers out for Père de Noël (when he comes in from the 40-degree "cold") and carrots for his reindeer to eat. They don’t really do stockings. Full-sized trees are more of an option, and not the rule. Here’s ours, with the crèche (nativity) beside it.
*Christmas Day, while for family, could just as easily be spent with good friends rather than extended family. It doesn’t seem to be as family-focused, is I guess what I’m getting at.
Again, I’m no authority! I’m sure that some of my impressions must be wrong, though I’ve tried to be as accurate as possible. Culture is one slippery thing to try to get a hold on!!
Merry Christmas to my loved ones in many places!
posted by Kate @ 8:35 AM
3 Comments:
Kate,
We missed you in Lincoln! We were thinking of you tons. It sounds like Christmas in France is very different! At least was it cold out? In the Philippines it is hot, so next year we will feel very different like you said. Will you get the video? As we played "The First Noel" we thought of you....Love J
I missed you all, too! But at least I got some pix of the festivities thanks to the Beckers and Dad.
Yeah, actually it was cold, come to think of it. No snow though -- not that that's a given in Lincoln either, but I haven't seen ANY yet this year. Oh well. Christmas was great just the same. Praise God that His day wasn't overshadowed for me by homesickness!
Have you heard of Père Fouetteur? He is quite possibly my favorite part of French Christmas. Oh, a very late Merry Christmas, and even a late Happy New Year.
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