This is linked to La Chandeleur – the day in February when the French eat lots of crêpes.
February 2nd was originally a religious holiday, marking the date when Jesus was presented at the temple in Jerusalem. How exactly it morphed into its current form as the French 'pancake day' no-one is very clear on, but one thing is certain – as well as just eating lots of delicious pancakes La Chandeleur features a lot of superstitions.
These traditions are mostly connected to long-life and prosperity for the year ahead, and are likely linked to pagan festivals that were celebrated at this time of year.
There are a lot of these superstitions and they vary between regions – here is a list of some of the most common – but one that is quite common concerns the first crêpe out of the pan on February 2nd.
READ ALSO La Chandeleur: The day the French get superstitious and go crazy over crêpes
Tradition says that this first crêpe should be placed in a drawer or on top of a wardrobe, and this will bring prosperity to the household for the coming year.
Another prosperity tip – and let's face it we might need all the help we can get in 2021 – is to toss the pancake in your right hand while holding a piece of gold in your left.
And if you're not the superstitious type, it's still a good excuse to eat lots of yummy crêpes – accompanied with cider of course.
This article is part of The Local France's 2020 virtual advent calendar – every day until Christmas we will be presenting you with a person or object that has a particular significance to life in France.
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