“Halloween” is a word that
means nothing by itself. It comes from “All Hallows Eve,” which represents the
vigil (observation) of all Hallows Day, more commonly known as All Saints Day.
“Hallow’ is an old English noun for ‘saint.’ As a verb, it means to make
something holy or to honor it as holy.
People in France had been
hearing about Halloween from foreign residents and tourists and in their
English lessons at school for years before the holiday ever showed its (masked)
face in France. In 1982, the American Dream bar/restaurant in Paris began
celebrating Halloween. At first it had to explain the holiday to its customers,
but since about 1995, French customers have become more and more familiar with
Halloween.
Halloween in France is
still rather controversial, due to the perception of corporate and cultural
influence, as well as the fact that it is not a typical French holiday and some
people still don’t understand what is being celebrated. As a predominantly
Roman Catholic nation, France will always prefer to recognize All Saint’s Day
instead.
La chanson des squelettes
