History of Valentine’s Day
Who was Saint Valentine? And why is February 14 so special? Well, let’s have a look at the history of Valentine’s day and see if we can find out…
Father Whipper: St Nick’s Evil Helper
Misbehaving children have to be very careful the first part of December, or St. Nick might send his not-so-nice “helper” to see them…
British Christmas Panto
It’s Panto Time! One of my favorite Christmas traditions in the UK is going to see a panto. A pantomime (or panto for short)…
British Christmas Pudding and Pie
Christmas pudding and mince pies are found in the United States and other countries, but they just don’t have the same holiday importance that they do in Britain…
Holiday Musings
Musings about books and winter holidays…
Befana: Italy’s Good, January Witch
Long before Father Christmas (or Babbo Natale) showed up, Italian children waited excitedly for the 6 January and their visit from a very witchy-looking old lady called La Befana.
Happy Crappy Christmas
Two quirky Christmas traditions from Barcelona…
Mistletoe and a Flying Donkey
Mistletoe in French is called gui. This ball of vegetation that grows high in trees has been considered magical since ancient days…
First Thanksgivings, Huguenots, and Alligators
The Pilgrims are credited with serving the first Thanksgiving meal… but could the French have beaten them to it? And what was on their table?…
Margo’s Musings and Jack-o’-lanterns
Autumn is definitely in the air. The drop in temperature makes me want to curl up beside my (imaginary) fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book.
And speaking of books…
Carnival Music and Gourds in Nice, France
Every year, the Nice carnival has a different theme, and this year it’s music…
St Nicholas… Santa Claus… Father Christmas
Even though some of the American/British folkloric characters don’t come to France, you’ll be happy to know that the jolly old man in the red suit does. Of course, he goes by a different name: in France he’s known as Père Noël, or Father Christmas.
May First and the Spirit of Labor Day
May 1st, a day to take off work and give out flowers….
American Easter Bunny vs French Easter Bell
There is no Easter Bunny in France but fear not, the French have come up with another method to distribute those Easter eggs
April Fool or April Fish?
In many countries, the first day of April is a day to play harmless jokes on family and friends. This usually consists of telling a farfetched story in such a way that it sounds like it could be true. When the other person falls for our joke, we exclaim…
Carnival Time in Venice, Italy
Carnival celebrations take place around the world, but when we think of elegant masks and beautiful costumes, we think of Venice. So in 2014 my husband and I decided to go and see for ourselves what the Venice Carnival was like. We weren’t disappointed. People come from everywhere to see and be seen at the…
Carnival Kings, Silly Strings, and Blooming Things
In Nice, France we are preparing for the carnival and that means another royal visit. Every year in February, a different king comes to town to celebrate the carnival with us and participate in the parade on his own special float. But it wasn’t always this way… Kings and parades In the beginning, the carnival…
The King Cake holds a Surprise
In France, it’s a tradition to eat pies and cakes containing little “prizes” in January. This practice can be traced back to Roman times and their winter solstice celebration…
Thirteen Desserts? That’s my kind of Meal!
Christmas time in Provence and the south of France is full of traditions and, as with most good traditions, food is usually involved. Miniature wheat fields Preparations for the Christmas holiday meals begin on the 4th of December, St. Barbara’s day, with the planting of wheat (in the kitchen, that is). Wheat germ is placed…
Of Turkeys and US Presidents
It seems that turkeys have long been considered as appropriate gifts for US presidents. In recent years it has become customary for the president to pardon the live turkey presented to him the day before Thanksgiving. But one of the earliest stories about a turkey being saved from the president’s holiday table goes back…
“G” for Guy: Guy Fawkes and his Vendetta
Remember, remember the 5th of November… A British revolutionary, executed in 1605, comes back to haunt us….
