Happy Easter! This morning I started the day early, with an 8am church service in English. I expected to find a beautifully decorated church full of flowers like I would have at home, yet when I walked in, there was just a simple altarpiece with a white rose, and no lilies. At home, lilies are everywhere for Easter, I can hardly breathe at most Easter services due to all the lilies, but here, not a single lily was to be found. Even the florist only had a couple yellow lily plants. It was an interesting cultural difference.
Another thing I noticed is that all the boulangeries and the patisseries are full of beautifully painted chocolate hens, bunnies and baskets but I haven't seen anyone buy one. My host mother's grandaughter didn't even have an Easter basket full of candy to wake up to. So later I will share my Easter candy from my parents with her.
Here it seems Easter isn't a very big deal, there are no large family dinners, no Easter baskets and no lilies. And yet, tomorrow, Lundi de Paques, everything is closed, it is a national holiday. Since everything will be closed tomorrow, I stopped on my way home today to buy groceries for my lunch this week, which was really strange for me. Mais, je suis en France, pas en Amerique! So while I won't be celebrating Easter as normal with family, ham and hard boiled eggs, I will be enjoying my day today relaxing and for my petit vacances de Lundi du Paques, I will be hiking Mont Saint Victoire!
Another thing I noticed is that all the boulangeries and the patisseries are full of beautifully painted chocolate hens, bunnies and baskets but I haven't seen anyone buy one. My host mother's grandaughter didn't even have an Easter basket full of candy to wake up to. So later I will share my Easter candy from my parents with her.
Here it seems Easter isn't a very big deal, there are no large family dinners, no Easter baskets and no lilies. And yet, tomorrow, Lundi de Paques, everything is closed, it is a national holiday. Since everything will be closed tomorrow, I stopped on my way home today to buy groceries for my lunch this week, which was really strange for me. Mais, je suis en France, pas en Amerique! So while I won't be celebrating Easter as normal with family, ham and hard boiled eggs, I will be enjoying my day today relaxing and for my petit vacances de Lundi du Paques, I will be hiking Mont Saint Victoire!