In France, many people are Catholic. As a result, many Catholic holidays are celebrated throughout the year. Some of them, like Easter, St. Valentine's Day, and Christmas are celebrated by many people in the United States. Others, such as Ascention Day (August 15) or Toussaint (November 1), aren't as commonly celebrated in the U.S.
Every year, Easter is celebrated on the Sunday of April. In French, Easter is called Pâques, which comes from a word meaning "to pass over". It comes from the same word as the Hebrew name for the Jewish holiday called Passover, which is also celebrated in the spring!
Many of the Easter traditions in France are similar to those at home in the U.S. In France people also enjoy chocolates, Easter egg hunts and dinner with family and friends!
Easter celebrates the end of Lent, a holy month for many Catholic people. During Lent, many people in France give up something, such as not eating meat, giving up sugar, or spending less time using technology. To celebrate the end of the holy month, people often enjoy a big meal on Easter Sunday. In the morning, there are often egg hunts called "chasses des œufs", and sometimes eggs are hidden all over an entire town!
