Black Friday doesn’t exist in France, because it’s not part of French culture. But even if it was, it would be much more regulated than it is in the US or in Canada. French shops have to follow a strict schedule for sales and can’t randomly decide to do sales.
My first encounter with black Friday was when I once saw people fighting over a discounted bag on TV, and that’s most likely what most French people have in mind when they hear “Black Friday”.
Have you ever celebrated Thanksgiving in France?
Celebrating Thanksgiving in France can be a real challenge. Have you ever tried to do it? Would you miss Thanksgiving if you couldn’t celebrate it?
Photo credit: evgenyb / 123RF
About Benjamin Houy
Benjamin Houy is a native French speaker and the founder of French Together. He helps English speakers learn the 20% of French they need to understand 80% of conversations and speak French with confidence.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Denise Asselin
In the province of Quebec, it is referred to as : L’action de grace and is generally not celebrated by secular French Canadians but is celebrated by some. The origins of thanksgiving are different for Canadians and Americans, and are not celebrated on the same day at all, with the Canadian thanksgiving being earlier.
Merci, Benjamin. Je ne parle pas couramment le français. Je regardais votre site Web pour améliorer mon français. J’apprécie le renvoi aux autres sites. Je vois que Francais Authentique est votre site. Merci de m’avoir aidé à trouver le meilleur programme pour améliorer mes compétences en français.
I have spent one thanksgiving here in frnace and have not had a problem finding the fooďs that I need to cook a thanksgiving meal. Except collard greens lol but the rest of the foods are here. You may have to make more of it from scratch but it’s here.
My close ones and I have long eschewed the traditional meal. Not one of us likes turkey. So, we always have a wonderful dinner that changes each year. This year, we just had wilted spinach salad (don’t let the wilted business fool you), a crown roast of lamb, an artisinal cheese board, asparagus, pumpkin pie (all agreed on that), and all sorts of individually contributed items. It’s the get-together which made it special.
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Denise Asselin
In the province of Quebec, it is referred to as : L’action de grace and is generally not celebrated by secular French Canadians but is celebrated by some. The origins of thanksgiving are different for Canadians and Americans, and are not celebrated on the same day at all, with the Canadian thanksgiving being earlier.
Henri Bourgeois
You left out the most important thing about how Thanksgiving came about. The role of Indians or Native Americans.
Mark Hughes
Est-ce que nous pouvons avoir la choix de voir ces emails en francais au lieu d’anglais? Je apprendrais plus. Merci!
Benjamin Houy
Pas pour le moment, mais je vous recommande Français Authentique et Léa Café pour du contenu en Français.
Mark Hughes
Merci, Benjamin. Je ne parle pas couramment le français. Je regardais votre site Web pour améliorer mon français. J’apprécie le renvoi aux autres sites. Je vois que Francais Authentique est votre site. Merci de m’avoir aidé à trouver le meilleur programme pour améliorer mes compétences en français.
Benjamin Houy
Ah non, Français Authentique n’est pas mon site, mais Johan (le créateur de Français Authentique) fait du très bon boulot :).
Gary Newman
We don’t celebrate thanksgiving in England either. We have just started having Black Friday but that is any excuse to drum up sales.
Benjamin Houy
Yeah I was a bit surprised to see black Friday sales in London.
Gary Newman
It has only been happening the last couple of years.
Sabah f
I have spent one thanksgiving here in frnace and have not had a problem finding the fooďs that I need to cook a thanksgiving meal. Except collard greens lol but the rest of the foods are here. You may have to make more of it from scratch but it’s here.
Staggo
My close ones and I have long eschewed the traditional meal. Not one of us likes turkey. So, we always have a wonderful dinner that changes each year. This year, we just had wilted spinach salad (don’t let the wilted business fool you), a crown roast of lamb, an artisinal cheese board, asparagus, pumpkin pie (all agreed on that), and all sorts of individually contributed items. It’s the get-together which made it special.
Benjamin Houy
This sounds yummy :). And you’re right, being with those we love is most important part.