Festivals of Lights

First things first: Happy Hanukkah!

As possibly St, Dié’s only current Jew, I tried to do my part with this little makeshift menorah and potato pancakes. I also tried to make a dreidel, but that didn’t turn out so well. They don’t have gelt here, but I did buy some really delicious seasoned olives from the marché as a little Hanukkah gift to myself.

Now, onto Christianity: Happy St. Nicholas Day!

Today was officially the holiday but most of the festivities took place over the weekend (and they gave us all St. Nick brioches in school on Thursday which was a tasty little surprise). I’m still a little hazy on the details of his story, but I know it involves a butcher who chopped up (and maybe ate?) a bunch of kids who St. Nicholas then brought back to life. And from there he become the protector of children and then went on to be santa claus—simple enough.

In any case, there was a big parade Saturday night to celebrate it. I walked into town with Alex but he was playing with the orchestra so when he went off to join them, I went and got some mulled wine and took in the festive atmosphere. Almost immediately after I had found a nice little spot to stand and watch the parade, a gaggle of really obnoxious pre-teen girls invaded. But by then the street had really filled up and as someone under 5’ and over 20 years-old, a place which offers visibility is too good to pass up.

The parade was pretty substantial, with bands and floats from a wide range of towns and associations. Some were pretty random like a Shrek float and lots of people who had just stuck a bunch of branches onto themselves and were walking around as trees. (We later found out that this year’s theme was forests which explained a lot. Also, forests was the theme at the FIG this year—coincidence ? I think not)

Because of the poor quality of my camera, it looks as if I attended a ghost parade, which is actually kind of a cool idea.

After the parade, we heard there would be fireworks over by the Cathedral. I was expecting a couple of sparklers but what came next was a SUPER impressive display. I’m talking better than Needham 4^th of July fireworks for those of my readers who know what that means. Combined with the epic music (and ignoring the accompanying narration of how St. Nicholas got lost in a snow storm trying to find father Christmas and then realized that he was father Christmas) it was quite the spectacle. I’d even go so far as to call it MAGICAL.

As we made our way home we made a little detour through the newly-opened St. Dié Christmas market which is small but charming nonetheless, and got some more mulled wine to warm our thoroughly chilled appendages.

Cultural note: Christmas here is pretty much exactly the same as it is in America. Though one main different is that here in France, rather than St. Nick having to deal with the nice and the naughty alike, they have kind of a good cop, bad cop system. So St. Nick can save face by being the nice guy who gives the good kids their presents while “Père Fouettard” (father whip-man) mercilessly beats all the naughty kids. And according to Hannah and Tricky, the Austrians have the same idea. So all you nasty American kids who get the coal—just be happy you don’t live in Europe!