L'Halloween...questions answered!

I asked a friend of mine who lives in France to answer some  questions regarding Halloween.  She also explains a bit about November 1st, all Saints Day.


Well, Halloween has only been in France for about 10 years. Some stores put up decorations, but not that many. You can find some costumes for kids, but there isn't the selection like back home. It depends on the school if they have a Halloween party or not. Some kid clubs do a party as well, but there's no trick or treating. For the most part the French see it only as a commercial holiday, and don't give in to it too much because they say it's not part of French culture. In this region Nice has Carnival for Mardi gras, and that is their big day for kids to dress up in costumes. Nov 1st, All Saints day, is a holiday where the French bring flowers to a family member's grave site. The cemeteries are covered with flowers. Also schools are closed for holidays for a week and a 1/2 during this time.