2006-10-18 9:06pm
Halloween originated among the Celts in Ireland, Britain and (yes!)
France
as a pagan Celtic harvest festival. Although other nations continued to observe
Halloween throughout the centuries, the original pagan traditions of the
Brittany region faded into obscurity long ago. Until recently, the mention
of Halloween in Paris was quite rare. Parisian children may have
heard of the holiday through foreign visitors or expatriates, but for the most part,
they never carved pumpkins, dressed up in ghoulish costumes or
went 'trick or treating'.
This has changed. Today, partly due to commercialism and the spread of
American pop culture, the delightfully spooky holiday has seen a resurgence in
French popularity. More and more cafes and bars are celebrating it American-style. Teens
swarm McDonald's (the iconic emblem of all things American) on Hallow's Eve, and
Disneyland Paris is also a cool place to be come October 31st.
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