The morning of the fifth of January 2007, a Friday, 11 nights past Christmas, I received a mail from one of my colleagues to share "La galette des rois" and some cider at her cabin that evening. I popped into her cabin when I had to pass by, to greet her and another of my colleagues who shared the same workspace. I was asked my birthday. On replying, I was told that I would be the one to cut the cake that evening. The reason being that, of that of all the people invited, my birthday was the closest to that day.
And that evening, I went over to see that a few people had gathered at the aforesaid place. As we waited for a few more people to arrive, a Spanish friend of mine explained to me what it was all about. La galette des rois means a King's Cake. As the custom goes, the cake has in it a hidden piece of lucky charm made of plastic or sometimes a china figurine called la fève and the person who gets it is crowned the king. Ah ha! there is a catch to it....he/she also and has to bear the expenses of the party. This is a tradition in France. The Spanish, I was told, follow the same but with a variance. The cake has a lucky charm and a bean hidden . The person who gets the lucky charm wears the crown and the person who gets the bean pays.
The Epiphany has, since the middle ages, been marked to commemorate the arrival of the Magi and the kings bearing gifts for the neonate Christ. This ceremony was clubbed with certain pagan beliefs too and was banned by the church, branding it a form of indulgence. Yet, the custom has braved the test of time and is celebrated even today.
As decided, I had the honour of cutting the cake and distributing it to the people gathered and as luck would have it, when I cut the first piece of patty, the china figurine was visible at the side. Nobody was ready to accept it and I was there, looking around and along came a late-comer,who too declined. Finally, a seven footer, as warm and friendly by nature as tall as he is, a native of French-Guyana, relieved me of it. He reminded me of Jughead, wearing the paper crown that went along with the lucky charm.
Certain practices make life interesting. Dont they?
That sure is a different tradition. Wonder if they follow it in the US too.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's indeed very interesting. I would have preferred to be the Queen ;) without the expenses of course.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading about a custom followed in Switzerland called the fondue custom. Fondue is a type of sauce where chunks of bread are dipped. if a lady loses the bread cube in the fondue, she pays with a kiss to the nearest man. If a man loses his bread, he provides the next round of drinks.
Europeans sure have weird but interesting customs :)
Ah yes...Another interesting custom among the Europeans involves the mistletoe. Speaking of kisses, I was reminded of it. This plant is considered as a symbol of love and fertility.
ReplyDeleteDuring Christmas (in France it is the New year) if a man spots a lady standing under mistletoe leaves (even without her own knowledge) he is supposed to kiss her. Mistletoe leaves are sometimes tied at places overhead. so you gotta watch where you are standing and whoz around ya :)
Also, if warring factions met and found mistletoe around they are supposed call truce for a day.
very interesting customs indeed..wonder how they initially thought of it.. most probably like a game i spose..
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