Today, January 6th, is technically - according to French culture - the last day of the holiday season. L'épiphanie, as it is know, is the day the "Rois mages" reached the manger with their gifts. That is why in olden days gifts were opened on the first Sunday of the year - unless January 1st was a Sunday.
It is also the day we eat the awesomely delicious "galette des rois". It has a small figurine hidden inside. If you get the piece with the figurine, or pea for the poor version, well, I forget what it all ment, but I guess you were going to have a good year, or have all your wishes granted, or something wonderful. What ever it was, the placebo effect and bragging rights were the most important part of getting the pea.
So while I enjoy my "galette des rois" for breakfast and say good bye to another xmas season, I wanted to share my wonderfully frugal xmas tree.
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and that the new year brings you health, happiness and great company.
Thanks for sharing Sue. Happy New Year to all my sisters and family.
ReplyDeleteYou got all that the little Jesus got from the three Roi Mages if you got the pea. Well maybe it is not such good luck...
ReplyDeleteHere in Grece they have the same tradition, except that the Orthodox figured a few things that the Catholics did not yet, they put a coin money in a very rich and heavy chocolate coated cake, the one who gets the coin, gets riches. Not bad. My boss got us a cake, one guy tried to cheat buy putting a coin in his piece, I do not speak Greek, so I do not know if the one who got the coin, got a raise, any who, he only cheated himself as his piece did have the coin afterall :))) It was very funny.
Wishing you great riches in the heart and in the wallet this year, pea or coin or not.
Suzanne, love your Xmas tree, it would go very well here in Grece, almost too much :)))
ReplyDeleteIn case anyone is interested for the new year, I may a New Year Cake from a Greek cook book. It was a cake with almonds and orange juice, etc, We enjoyed it so much, I made another one. So much for the diet.
ReplyDeleteIt's been so long I could not find it. We should revive it. Gil
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