November 1st this year is the French traditional holiday Halloween. As usual, the French will pay homage to their ancestors on this day. On the eve of Halloween on October 31, children will go to the neighbor’s house and knock on the door for sweets. Many families will make pumpkin lanterns at the door.
However, due to the seriousness of the “second wave” of Coronavirus pandemic, France has once again implemented a nationwide “cities closure” since October 30. In the past few days, there have been successive attacks, adding tension to the entire country. What is your mood this holiday? Hear what these French friends said.
Juliet is the mother of two children. She told reporters that because of the “closure of the city” again, their family could only spend Halloween at home this year.
Juliet said: “My 6-year-old and 12-year-old sons are very disappointed. They can’t go out with neighbor’s children to ask for sweets at night. I figured out a way to buy ghost and pumpkin-shaped cake molds and lead the children together. Make dinner and try to keep the holiday atmosphere at home.”
Juliet said she was relieved that the “city closure” measures had not stopped the school. She explained to the children the reason for the “closed city”: “The virus spreads too fast, and the closed city can protect grandparents before Christmas. In this way, maybe they can spend Christmas with us. When I tell the children When they can go to school normally, they seem to be relieved. For children, maintaining social contact with classmates is the most important thing.”
Coronavirus pandemic, the elderly are one of the most vulnerable groups, but many French elderly people have to go to the graves alone this Halloween.
Jean-Michel and Danielle and his wife said: “Two weeks ago, we were still taking care of our little grandson. Our city is a green zone where the virus is not actively spreading, and we ourselves are very careful. But the whole country is’closed’. Before, the little grandson was sent back to his parents. This weekend, we can only go to the grave by ourselves .”
French couple Guy and Claude, who live in London, told reporters via e-mail, “Halloween is very important to our family. Every year we return to France to lay flowers to the graves of our ancestors.” However, this plan was affected by the “closure of the city.” “We can only wait patiently.” They were shocked to hear of the attack.
Jean François, who lives in the Paris area, told reporters: “Every year I go back to my hometown Charente on Halloween to go to the graves, but this year I won’t do it. I can only go to the woods near my home on the weekends, alone quietly. To mourn and express my grief to the ancestors.”
Taking into account the holiday customs, the French government also stipulated in the “closure of the city” measures that all cemeteries will remain open during Halloween, allowing people to pay homage to the ancestors on Halloween. Although the government has closed all “non-essential” commercial establishments, franchised florists opened on Halloween this weekend, allowing people to buy flowers for memorials.
However, after the “Internet opening” due to Halloween, France has strictly implemented the “city closure” measures from November 2nd, including prohibiting all non-essential travel of the public, individuals not allowed to travel across regions, and “breathing” outside the house cannot leave the residence. Within one kilometer, the travel time cannot exceed one hour.
French President Macron said in a previous televised speech that the nationwide “closed city” will last at least until December 1, and will be reassessed every two weeks based on the development of the Coronavirus pandemic, and hopes to add new ones every day within a month. The number of infected people has dropped from 50,000 to 5,000 per day.
