Day of the Dead

Halloween in France isn't anything like it is in America; no overpriced bags of candy crowding supermarket shelves for a month, no superstores packed with cheesy costumes and frightening orange and black home decor, no cd's of continuous screaming and maniacal laughter. Aside from the few ex-pat Halloween parties (costumes encouraged but rare), and a smattering of french teens who find it amusing to dress as a sexy witch (females), or in drag (the boys), it just doesn't exist here. What does exist is Le Fete de le Mort, or Day of the Dead. The tradition began in 998 by St. Odilo of the Abbey of Cluny. The Clunaic Order was the largest network of monasteries in Europe, and soon the tradition of praying for the souls in Purgatory on the 2nd of November spread throughout the world. Buddists celebrate a "Ghost Festival", the Chinese set aside the day to honour their elders at the "Qingming Festival", and the people of Tirol leave cakes out for the dead, keeping the room warm and cozy for their midnight visit. In Bolivia and Brittany, food is also offered to those on the other side of the veil, rather like we leave cookies out for Santa on Christmas Eve! In modern France, the official Fete de le Mort is now observed on November 1st with a national holiday (a paid day off for many), a reason to close every shop in town, and a trek to the cimetiére bearing pots of colourful flowers to brighten up the gravesite of le famille. I rather look forward to the last week in October, when the local fleurists are flooded with large pots of crysanthemum in the colours of fall; bright yellow, burgundy, and purple. At 2 for 9 euro it is the deal of the season, the only time of year it is to be found, and I love to load my chariot full of flowers and enjoy the cheerful ambience they bring to the garden on a rainy autumn day! It seems like such a civilized way to honour the dead; chrysanthemums rather than fake spiderwebs, a paid day off rather than donning an Elvira costume as you check people out at the supermarket. I must admit however, I really do miss a good T.P.ing!