'Tis the Season

(originally posted 24 November 2008)

I spent my first Thanksgiving in France in 2004. I was at the University of Caen living in the dorms and the holiday would have passed by completely unnoticed had my American friend not mentioned that he was going to stay up until 5 a.m. in order to talk to his entire family in Washington State. At that point I was still getting over that year’s presidential election results, so celebrating anything that month didn’t seem appropriate. In 2006 I was in Deauville, France – my first year teaching small French children – and living with two American roommates. Regardless, I don’t think we celebrated at all. I remember we were supposed to go to some kind of dinner organized by the twin cities committee, but we canceled at the last minute because after learning that it would cost 30 Euros a plate.

During a recent email correspondence with a friend from Lexington, I was complaining about the weather here and how I was suffering from mild seasonal depression. Her response was, “I know, the smell of cinnamon makes me want to vomit.” What lovely imagery, right? But her comment got me thinking about the effect the commercial presentation of the holidays in these two cultures I’m living between. In the States, Christmas-mania begins as soon as the Halloween decorations are taken down since Fall/Thanksgiving decorations have already been on display since August. I remember going to Target last year sometime in early fall and the store had a Halloween section near the front, an all-purpose autumn section around the cards, and a budding Christmas display in the back near the toy aisles. In France, you’re lucky (if you like October 31st as much as I do) if you’ll see any Halloween decorations at all. There’s no Thanksgiving (which some people are actually surprised to hear), and Christmas is more of a gourmet experience than anything else; an excuse to drink champagne, eat foie gras, and finish the evening with peculiar cake fashioned to look like a log, called a Buchette. However, beautiful Christmas lights abound in every French town, and there are no fake Santa’s or reindeer on top of people’s houses!

If I were home I may feel the same way as my friend – forced into holiday immersion despite not being in the holiday spirit – but since I’m here and not home, I have to admit that I do miss some of the holiday cheer. As for Thanksgiving, this year promises to bring a semi-authentic American experience. I’m having a small Thanksgiving dinner Thursday night with two American friends, then a large Thanksgiving party with the whole American community in Rennes. I’m making my mom’s broccoli casserole (modified because you can’t find cream of celery soup, cheddar veggie cheese or Pepperidge Farms ½ white bread, ½ cornbread breadcrumbs in France) and pumpkin pie. Between all thirty of us who are attending we should have everything from Apple Pie to Yams. Then in a month I’ll be going home for Christmas to get my fill of tacky Christmas decorations, pine trees, and hopefully snow; we have none of these things in Rennes! I’ll get to spent time with family, and ring in the New Year with old friends. The best part is, after all that I get to come back to France afterwards which means I won’t have to look at the tacky Christmas decorations until mid-February, and I’ll have the January “soldes” to look forward to – this is a big national sale where all stores mark-down about half of their clothing from 25-75%. Sometimes I feel so lucky, like I get to have my Buche and eat it too!