Halloween and la Toussaint fall on consecutive days, but they are different observances. This article explains their origins and shares one French childhood experience without claiming that it represents all of France.
What’s the origin of Halloween?
Modern Halloween combines traditions associated with the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian observance of All Hallows’ Eve. The Library of Congress describes Christian and pre-Christian beliefs as having mingled rather than giving the holiday one simple origin.
One French childhood experience of Halloween
I remember going trick-or-treating with my cousins when I was a kid. Many homes did not have candy for us, but we still had fun. That is my experience, not a measure of how common Halloween activities are across France.
What about la Toussaint?
La Toussaint, All Saints’ Day, is a Christian feast on November 1 and a legal public holiday in France. In the Christian calendar, November 1 honors the saints; the commemoration of the faithful departed is November 2. In France, families often use the November 1 holiday to visit cemeteries; chrysanthemums are closely associated with decorating graves at Toussaint. Because of that funeral association, they can be an awkward choice for an everyday gift in France. Have you ever spent Halloween or la Toussaint in France? How was it?