During my time in France, I found there were multiple holidays and celebrations that were different from those on the the holiday calendar in the United States. Learning about why these holidays are celebrated or how they got their names helped me increase my knowledge of French history and culture. For example, Bastille Day or Fête Nationale is a holiday to commemorate when the Parisians stormed the Bastille jail in 1789 a major turning point in the French Revolution
A tradition that I found really interesting was Chandeleur. This holiday is very similar to Mardi Gras, the holiday we celebrate in the States. On this day, we celebrate by making and eating crêpes. There's also a legend that says you will be brought good luck if you flip crêpes on this day.
Another tradition that is very popular in France is Galettes des Rois, or "King's Cake." I have spoken about this event before because it's widely celebrated across France. The Galette de Roi is an almond-filled pastry eaten around Christmas time. You can see it being sold all month long in December at supermarkets and bakeries.
My favorite tradition is Poisson D'Avril. On April 1, we celebrate Poisson d'Avril, which is the same as April Fools.
