Holidays, France versus America
One country decorates for every season. The other waits for Christmas.
American holidays are the part of this country a French person finds hardest to explain back home: a Thursday built around one meal, a night when children knock on strangers’ doors, pumpkins nobody eats. These articles cover what France does on the same dates, and what each side makes of the other.
Do French people celebrate Thanksgiving?
No. They did adopt Black Friday, though, which tells you something about what travels.
How to say happy Thanksgiving in French
There is no French word for it. There is barely a French concept for it. Here is what people say anyway.
Why do Americans drive hours to look at leaves?
A $2 billion season in New Hampshire alone. France has the trees and no word for it.
Why do the clocks change on different days in France and America?
For one week Paris is five hours ahead, not six. Congress did it for Halloween.
Why don’t Americans eat their pumpkins?
Two billion pounds grown a year. 1.3 billion thrown away. In France it is dinner.
Why Americans pay to pick apples and the French pay to drink them
One country sells you the labour. The other sells you the result.
Explaining Thanksgiving to a Frenchman
Forty-six million turkeys in a day, and no cheese course. He had notes.
Why do Americans decorate their houses for every season?
$4.3 billion on Halloween decorations alone. France has no such aisle.
Do French people like pumpkin spice?
I explained the season has a flavour. He asked which season.
Is Halloween celebrated in France?
It exists there the way cricket exists here. Technically. Somewhere.
While you are here
How French Is Your Thanksgiving?
Marshmallows or butter? Dinner at two or at eight? Three pies or one tart? Eight this-or-that questions.
Not on the list?
Ask my French husband.
A short ruling in a few seconds. Written by AI from our Journal, in his voice.
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