Unlike Americans and Canadians, French people don’t celebrate Thanksgiving,
In fact, the only thing most French people know about Thanksgiving is that it’s a day where Americans eat turkeys.
This may sound surprising, but it’s actually logical if you consider the history of Thanksgiving.
How come the French don’t celebrate Thanksgiving?
After their arrival in America, settlers quickly faced a problem, their food supplies were getting smaller and smaller.
So they decided to start growing plants.
When the first harvest came in 1621, they decided to celebrate.
Thus was born Thanksgiving.
Considering the origin of Thanksgiving, its absence in France makes complete sense.
That’s also why there is no special way to say thanksgiving in French. We use the English word.
If you live in France and would like to celebrate Thanksgiving, I wish you good luck.
Not only are you not going to get a day-off, you will also have a hard time finding all the food you need for a proper Thanksgiving.
Your best bet is to find a group of other Americans or to go to one of these American stores in Paris.
What about Black Friday?
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
Not only Thanksgiving bring traditional food. It is a huge tradition that brings families together. America is such a Large country, where people tend to work & spread all over the land.
Thanksgiving being on a Thursday every year, tends to extend ob being a 4 day Holiday for many. Which make it perfect for a long weekend to get away to go on some trip, to go home to see families. And celebrate Thanksgiving together.
It’s of my , 2nd, favorite time (Holiday) of the year, next to Christmas.
I love crowds, & celebrating w/ people I usually only see once or twice a year.
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.
You left out the most important thing about how Thanksgiving came about. The role of Indians or Native Americans.
Influential myth, but a myth nonetheless
Est-ce que nous pouvons avoir la choix de voir ces emails en francais au lieu d’anglais? Je apprendrais plus. Merci!
Pas pour le moment, mais je vous recommande Français Authentique et Léa Café pour du contenu en Français.
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.
Ah non, Français Authentique n’est pas mon site, mais Johan (le créateur de Français Authentique) fait du très bon boulot :).
We don’t celebrate thanksgiving in England either. We have just started having Black Friday but that is any excuse to drum up sales.
Yeah I was a bit surprised to see black Friday sales in London.
It has only been happening the last couple of years.
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.
This sounds yummy :). And you’re right, being with those we love is most important part.