THE ANNUAL PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE OF DESIGN: A LEGACY OF DESIGN SUPPORTING PHILANTHROPY©

The 2024 Pasadena Showcase House of Design

THE PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE LEGACY OF PHILANTHROPY

For 59 years, the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, the annual fundraiser of the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts (PSHA) held during the Spring season, has provided financial support that benefits the Los Angeles musical arts through the creation of diverse music programs funded primarily by gifts and grants. These programs for decades have successfully nurtured the study and appreciation of music, provided music as a vehicle toward health, healing and music education, and underscored that music enhances other academic subjects as well cultural enrichment for both youth and adults.

This philanthropic legacy first began in 1948 when the Pasadena Junior Philharmonic Committee made plans to raise money for the Continuance Fund – later named the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association (LAPA) – to help pay for the series of concerts performed in the City of Pasadena by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

The original founding members consisted of 18 women who met their early fundraising goals with a series of traditional "society" social events -- a shipwreck party, a casino night, an assortment of bridge tournaments and gatherings around a popular new fixture in their homes in the 1950s, the television set.  The TV parties were particularly popular because they provided an added attraction for guests who often "dressed up" as their favorite TV stars such as Lucy and Desi, The Honeymooners, Matt Dillon, Perry Mason, "Kookie" and Joe Friday.  During those early years, these social events brought in $3,000 to $5,000 annually -- which amounts to between $32,000 and $54,000 in today’s dollars -- and which went a long way towards LAPA's philanthropic endeavours in the 1950s.

Students arriving at Walt Disney Concert Hall
for the Pasadena Showcase House Youth Concert

The Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition has awarded over $500,000 in prize money since it began in 1985.  The Competition is open to string, woodwind, and brass musicians ages 14 through 19 years of age who are full-time students and who reside and attend high school in Los Angeles County, who compete for individual prizes that range from $500 to $4,000 to further their education. The judging panel includes members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and prize monies for the Instrumental Competition are drawn from the proceeds of the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts’ annual fundraiser, the Pasadena Showcase House of Design.

Now in its 59th year, due to the dedication of PSHA members, the countless hours they volunteer, the talent and financial commitment of the designers and so many others who donate their time, services, products and money, the Pasadena Showcase House of Design has become one of the oldest, largest and most successful home and garden tours in the USA.  Since its inception, it has raised over $25-million in support of its dedication to cultural enrichment through the furtherance of music education and performances.

Grand Foyer
Amy Peltier Interior Design & Home
2018 Pasadena Showcase House

HISTORY OF THE PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE OF DESIGN

The idea for the Pasadena Showcase House of Design was suggested in 1965.  This idea turned out to be brilliant and fortuitous, not only because it utilized local resources, local mansions and the many local area interior designers, but also because it appealed to the rapidly-increasing number of newly-married Baby Boomer housewives in the Greater Los Angeles area who were interested in ideas for beautifying their homes and gardens.  It was no surprise that when the Pasadena Junior Philharmonic Committee, later known as Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts (PSHA), opened the doors to the first Showcase House in 1965, that the public showed up in droves.

Responding to the collaboration of imagination and hard work from the Committee and the participating local creative resources, community support was immediately enthusiastic and generous.  More than $11,000. was raised that first year, which is approximately $110,000. in 2024 dollars.  Admission to the first Showcase House was $1.50 per person, which included coffee and cookies.  Approximately 7,500 people attended.  Street parking in Pasadena predictably was in short supply, so automobiles often camped on a neighbor’s lawn.  (By contrast, today’s tickets range from $35.00 to $65.00, and visitors are shuttled to/from the Showcase House by chartered buses serving several nearby locations.)

The designated Showcase House has historically been open to visitors during the Spring season from mid-April through mid-May, including on Mother's Day when a special catered Brunch is offered along with other celebratory activities.

In 1970, “Art Sales,” provided by two local artists, was added to the event. Now called "The Shops at Showcase", features around 25 vendors situated on the landscaped grounds of the Showcase House who come from throughout California and who have been carefully selected to offer visitors unique designer jewelry, a selection of gourmet food items, clothing that ranges from avant-garde to classic, garden items, and an assortment of housewares from practical to luxurious, inter alia.

Refreshments initially evolved over the years from free coffee and cookies to lunches provided by PSHA members. Next came a cafeteria, and thereafter a full-service restaurant, a Gourmet-to-Go station, al fresco dining, wines and pubs. Celebrity chefs such as Wolfgang Puck have even provided the catering.

What does it take to be a Showcase House? There is no ideal house that meets all the criteria; however, having two staircases is at the top of the must-have list, along with a wide road for the shuttles, sufficient space on the grounds for Shops at Showcase, porta-potties, trash, and the like, are the practicalities that influence the selection.  Over the years, houses selected have also been located in nearby neighboring communities such as La Canada Flintridge in the foothills north of Pasadena where many homes pre-date those in Pasadena, and where Louis B. Mayer had his very first motion picture production facilities prior to his establishing M-G-M Studios in Culver City.

Sometimes there are grand mansions and other times charming homes on a smaller scale are chosen.  No matter the amount of the interior square footage, each estate is renovated from top to bottom by leading designers using the latest concepts and materials.

Dining Room
Samantha Williams Interior Design
2019 Pasadena Showcase House

Also, there are additional considerations.  If the house is occupied and not for sale, the owners have final say over the choice of the Master Colour Palette.  If the house is vacant and for sale, there is greater flexibility for the Showcase House Committee regarding selection of the Master Colour Palatte and the materials used by the designers and landscape architects.  New fixtures and design features such as built-in bookcases, etched glass window panes in the kitchen, stenciling painted on the wooden floors of hallways, fireplace mantels, for example, which are permanently attached to the house and its exterior stay with the house after the event, paid for by the owners, whereas removable fabric window treatments, chandeliers, and artwork are generally removed unless purchased by the owners or by visitors during the annual Showcase House event.   Additionally, if the house has a local or other historic landmark designation, there are parameters by law relevant to renovation and updating both the interior and the exterior of the house which require compliance in order to maintain its heritage preservation landmark status.

THE 2024 PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE OF DESIGN

Featured as a Showcase House twice previously during the past 59 years,  in 1975 and 1996, the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House of Design may look familiar to many since it has frequently been a setting for movies, television shows and advertisements. “Eleanor and Franklin,” “Foul Play,” “The Christmas Box,” and “Bachelor Party,” are some of the movies it has appeared in, while television shows include “McCloud,” “Falcon Crest,” “Quantum Leap,” and “Remington Steele.”

The stately English Tudor Revival Style home boasts a significant historic background, several storied owners and even a prestigious designation as a Pasadena City Landmark. It was once named “El Roble” by one of its prominent residents, a Spanish translation in honor of a stately oak tree that once graced its magnificent front lawn.  Commissioned by Gertrude Potter Daniels, wife of a wealthy Chicago businessman, the home was originally built in 1902 by Joseph J. Blick, one of Pasadena’s pioneer architects, as a “winter home” for the Daniels and their two young sons. The graceful, shingle-style structure cost $15,000 to build, a significant amount for that time.

Just three years later in 1905, the home was sold to Susanna Bransford Emery Holmes, again to serve as a winter home.  Mrs. Holmes gained fame as the “Silver Queen” after her late first husband named Emery, had struck it rich in Utah organizing the Silver King Mines.  Upon her acquisition of the house, and with no expenses spared, a new set of distinctive architectural changes were made.  The Holmes' entertained lavishly in their winter home for many years and in 1922 decided to make it their sole residence.  Inspired by her European travels during the years, Mrs. Holmes hired the Postle Company of Los Angeles, builders of the now-famous Pasadena Playhouse, to completely remodel the home into the English Tudor Revival Style mansion that exists today, at a cost of $37,000 -- the equivalent of $680,000 in US dollars 102 years later in 2024.  Although the home bore little resemblance to its former version, it  was one of the most impressive houses in Pasadena.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:  Visiting the Pasadena Showcase Houses over the years has always been a favourite annual Spring activity of mine.  I personally attended the Opening Ceremonies of at least 15 of the Showcase Houses while living in Los Angeles, stood right in front of Merlin Olsen as he cut the ribbon for public entry on the first Sunday of Showcase, and even had a client who was one of the selected Interior Designers  -- during the "animal print", "painting/stenciling of rugs on the upper hallway floors" and the  "etched glass kitchen window panes of Charlie Chaplin" years.  The Showcase Houses are "etched" fondly  in my memory.

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(Primary Source: Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts)

©2024 Snobby Tours®, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

THE CHINESE (LUNAR) NEW YEAR COMMENCING IN FEBRUARY, 2024 CELEBRATES THE YEAR OF THE WOOD DRAGON WITH LAVISH, COLOURFUL FESTIVALS IN MANY USA CITIES©

2024 is the Lunar Year of the Wood Dragon. It is anticipated to be a very powerful year, starting with celebrations and parades in its honour.

Sometimes called the "Chinese New Year", the Lunar New Year is a more inclusive term that includes other East Asian countries which celebrate the Lunar calendar, such as Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The date of the commencement of the Chinese New Year changes from year to year, depending on the Lunar calendar. In 2024, it falls on Saturday, February 10. Celebrations, however, will take place before, during and after.

The origin of the Chinese New Year festival dates to a mythological ancient battle against a monster called the Nien, which comes each year to eat livestock and people and create mayhem. To scare it away, people show red paper, burn bamboo, light candles and wear red clothes. Not only do these traditions continue into the 21st Century, but also today's festivals include giving money in red envelopes.

Traditionally, people clean house around the beginning of the new year to “sweep away” the previous year’s bad luck and to honor their dead ancestors by giving them food before the living themselves eat at the reunion dinner. Firecrackers are used to scare away evil and to prepare for good things in the new year, while the lion and dragon dances also bring prosperity to the new year. Superstition instructs on essential things not to do on New Year's Day, such as sweeping the house, so that happiness and prosperity are not swept away but instead will be abundant in the coming year.

 

Cities around the USA -- some having historic Chinatown areas -- are world-renown for their festivities, parades and special events during the Lunar New Year celebrations.  Herein below are a few.

SAN FRANCISCO:

            San Francisco has the largest, most vibrant Chinatown of any city in the USA.  Celebrations have been taking place there for more than 160 years, since the 1860s. Its Chinese New Year Parade is one of the few remaining illuminated night parades in North America, and is the most extensive parade for this event outside of Asia. The 2024 parade date is on February 24th.

NEW YORK CITY:

            Second only in size and scope to San Francisco, the biggest and best offering on the East Coast can be found in Manhattan in New York City. Additionally, there are other Lunar New Year celebrations happening the New York City and its various boroughs -- especially Queens, where a large Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese community resides.  Chinatown is located in Lower Manhattan  The event has a street party vibe, with performance artists and vendors keeping everyone energized.

CHICAGO:

            Chicago welcomes the Year of the Dragon with a parade on February 18, 2024.  Planned by the Chicago Chinese Community Foundation, the parade will feature the traditional dragon and lion dancing teams, colorful floats, marching bands and other performing groups.

LOS ANGELES:

            Los Angeles will celebrate the Year of Dragon on February 17, 2024 with its 125th Golden Dragon Parade. Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to gather and line the streets in the five block radius spanning North Broadway and Hill street in Chinatown. Families, friends and children of all ages will be cheering on the marching bands, kung fu performers, lion dancers and the newly crowned Miss Chinatown Los Angeles.

PHILADELPHIA:

            Numerous events celebrating the Chinese New Year are scheduled, commencing on February 10th at various venues around the city, including traditional performances, special cuisine, and the exchange of lucky red envelopes symbolizing good wishes and prosperity in Chinatown, Dilworth Park, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  The 43rd annual Lunar New Year CultureFest! will be held at the Penn Museum, and will feature vibrant Asian traditions with a full day of festivities, including storytelling, art-making, live music, and dance performances, ending with a traditional Lion Dance.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY:

            The celebration of the Lunar New Year is intermixed with Eastern and Western music performed by the New Jersey Symphony. This annual tradition, which takes place the night of February 3, 2024, was the brainchild of music director Xian Zhang and rings in the new year with action onstage inside a warm concert hall rather than with a parade outdoors.

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(Primary Sources:  timeout.com;  Chicago Chinatown Community Foundation) 

©2024 Snobby Tours®, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

MUSEUMS WORLDWIDE ARE ADDRESSING ISSUES OF MISAPPROPRIATION AND PROVENANCE IN THEIR COLLECTIONS AS NEWLY-ENACTED LAWS TAKE EFFECT AND OLDER LAWS ARE RECONSIDERED©

New Federal Regulations effective in 2024 affecting USA Museums, coupled with an increased acknowledgement by Museums worldwide regarding issues of provenance and misappropriation of antiquities, artifacts and works of art, is leading to major, often dramatic, changes in the display and exhibiting of their Collections, and bringing the matter of repatriation to the forefront. 

The increased attention calling for, and efforts demanding, repatriation of artworks and artifacts having questionable histories and provenance have become more widespread in recent years, primarily due to advances in research techniques, a rise in interest in art looted by the Nazis during World War II primarily from Jewish families, and a renewed focus on the practices in the art world that were allowed, and/or ignored, during the period of Colonialism particularly prevalent in the early 19th Century in Africa.

The ways in which museums and private collectors respond to these issues are likely to create major changes, and have a profound and lasting effect, upon current and future exhibitions and displays of artworks, artifacts and antiquities that have a questionable provenance, history and method of acquisition.

Herein below are recent stories in the news about several of those major changes by Museums both within and outside of the USA.

PRESS RELEASE: USA MUSEUMS ARE CURRENTLY REASSESSING AND REMOVING FROM DISPLAY THEIR COLLECTIONS OF NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL ARTIFACTS DUE TO NEW FEDERAL REGULATIONS EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY, 2024.

Hall of the Great Plains
in New York City's American Museum of Natural History
Photo Credit:  Jeenah Moon/The New York Times

In January, 2024, new US Federal regulations governing the holding and display of Native American heritage and cultural items that were enacted to hasten returns, give institutions holding these types of artifacts 5 years to prepare all human remains and related funerary objects for repatriation, and also give more authority to Native American tribes throughout the process. The new Federal regulations require museums to obtain consent from Native American tribes before displaying or performing research on their cultural items.

In many instances, the original acquisition of Native American artifacts occurred during "an era" when museums in general were less concerned with "the values, perspectives and shared humanity of Indigenous peoples".

Several museums affected have already undertaken action in compliance with these new regulations.

"The result has been a major shift in practices when it comes to Native American exhibitions at some of the country’s leading museums — one that will be noticeable to visitors.

Per The New York Times article by Julia Jacobs and Zachary Small titled "Leading Museums Remove Native Displays Amid New Federal Rules", published on January 26, 2024, "The American Museum of Natural History [in New York City] will close two major Halls exhibiting Native American objects in a dramatic response to these new Federal regulations."

Additionally, the article stated that "[m]useums around the country have been covering up displays as curators scramble to determine whether they can be shown under the new regulations. The Field Museum in Chicago covered some display cases, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University said it would remove all funerary belongings from exhibition, and the Cleveland Museum of Art has covered up some display cases.

"Exhibiting Native American human remains is generally prohibited at museums, so the collections being reassessed include sacred objects, burial belongings and other items of cultural patrimony . . . . . A top priority of the new regulations, which are administered by the Interior Department, is to finish the work of repatriating the Native human remains in institutional holdings."

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PRESS RELEASE: NEW LEGISLATION REQUIRING NEW YORK MUSEUMS TO PROMINENTLY IDENTIFY NAZI-LOOTED ART ON DISPLAY AS HAVING BEEN LOOTED BY THE NAZIS DURING WORLD WAR II HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE IN NEW YORK STATE.

By legislative act signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul on August 10, 2023, artwork that has “changed hands due to theft, seizure, confiscation, forced sale or other involuntary means” must be accompanied, when publicly displayed, by a prominently placed placard or other signage that acknowledges this provenance.

By the State of New York’s count, the Nazis looted some 600,000 paintings from Jewish people during the War, as part of the Nazi party’s crimes committed to wipe out Jewish identity and culture.

In a statement issued by New York State Senator Anna M. Kaplan, "[A]rtwork previously stolen by the Nazis can be found hanging in museums around New York with no recognition of the dark paths they traveled there”.

The new State law in New York comes at a time when museums around the world are increasingly dealing with the question of looted art in their Collections, and museums within the USA are taking steps to comply with new US Federal Regulations effective in 2024 which require repatriation of misappropriated Native American artifacts to various tribes.

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OTHER CONTENTIOUS COLLECTIONS:

Museum collections in Europe are also facing criticism and calls for the return of artwork, artifacts and human remains looted during wars or obtained in other ways while these nations ruled colonial empires across the world.  Among these are the famous Benin Bronzes at Paris’ Quai Branly Museum, a collection of bronze sculptures looted by French forces in 1892 from the Abomey Palace located in the Kingdom of Benin in what now is modern-day Nigeria.

Other contentious collections include the Maqdala Collection, taken from Ethiopia in the 1800s, as well as the human remains of more than 6,000 people, including Egyptian mummies. 

In an article published in Forbes Magazine on October 27, 2021 written by Carlie Porterfield, titled "Europe's Museums, Collectors are Returning Artifacts to Countries Amid Fresh Scrutiny", it was reported that Cambridge University’s Jesus College had recently held a ceremony to return to Nigeria a bronze statue of a rooster that was taken from Benin by British troops in 1897 which had been on display in the College's dining room until 2016 when students protested to demand it be returned.

The same article cited herein above also highlighted the following:

A 4,250-year-old gold ewer from what now is modern-day Turkey that was on long-term loan by a private collector, and on display at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, was returned to Ankara after researchers found it was likely illegally looted and smuggled out of Turkey unbeknownst to the late donor, whose Trust had agreed to hand it over.

A French private collector turned over an ancient Mayan stela during a ceremony in Paris after the artifact was flagged by Guatemalan authorities in 2019 as being a piece that disappeared in the 1960s from Piedras Negras, an archeological site in the country’s northwest.

A court in Amsterdam ruled the city’s Allard Pierson Museum must return to the Ukraine a trove of objects from Crimea, a region of Ukraine that was seized by Russia in 2014, despite pressure from Russian authorities who said they would appeal the decision.

One of the most contentious group of artifacts currently displayed in The British Museum are the Parthenon Sculptures, a collection of 2,500-year-old marble sculptures that a British diplomat personally removed in 1806 from the Parthenon temple in Athens. The sculptures have become the subject of an ongoing diplomatic acrimony between the United Kingdom and Greece which contends they were looted. In November, 2023 Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis canceled a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after he ruled out changing a law that bans their return to Greece.  After the Museum’s announcement on January 25, 2024, Reuters reported that Mitsotakis renewed calls for the return of the sculptures, stating “Only by being seen together, in situ, in the shadow of the Acropolis, can we truly appreciate their immense cultural importance".

In another article covering the subject of museum collections of questionable appropriation and provenance, titled "British Museum Lends Ghana Looted Gold Artifacts -- Here's Why It Won't Fully Return Them"  written by Zachary Folk, published on January 25, 2024 in Forbes Magazine , it was reported that two museums -- The British Museum and The Victoria and Albert Museum -- both located in the United Kingdom, have been confronted with the issue of looted artifacts in their respective Collections.  The British Museum has announced that it is temporarily returning looted gold and silver to Ghana which the Museum acquired following a war which occurred in the 1870s, but only for a limited time due to several currently applicable British laws enacted in the mid-20th Century that prevent, or severely impede, permanent repatriation by British museums of looted and/or misappropriated artifacts in their Collections.

"The artifacts include 17 items from the Victoria and Albert Museum and 15 items from the British Museum, including dozens of gold items looted while the British Army raided the Ashanti royal palace that were auctioned off to the museums in April 1874.

"The Exhibition will not permanently remain in Ghana—the pieces are only on loan for three years, and will return to the U.K. in 2027.

"Several British laws also prevent the museums from outright returning these artifacts to Ghana: The British Museum Act of 1963 bans the Museum from removing an artifact from its collection unless it is a duplicate, is damaged or is deemed 'unfit' for the collection.

"The National Heritage Act of 1983 prevents the Victoria and Albert Museum from legally returning the artifacts as well, the Museum told Forbes, and noted they have not received any formal requests for repatriation for the pieces being lent."

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(Primary Sources:  The New York Times;  The Art Newspaper;  Forbes Magazine)

©2024 Snobby Tours®, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

CHRISTMAS IN PROVENCE, FRANCE: CENTURIES-OLD TRADITIONS AND CELEBRATIONS ROOTED IN FRENCH HISTORY©

 

With the Holiday Season underway all around the world, my thoughts turn to one of my favourite places, Provence, located in the south of France.  It is particularly charming and beautiful at this time of year, and includes many unique traditions -- some of which are centuries-old.

Christmas Decorations along Cours Mirabeau
in Aix-en-Provence
Photo Provenance unknown

In Provence, the Christmas Season is called “La Calendale“.  It starts on the 4th of December, the day of the patron Sainte Barbe, i.e., Saint Barbara. (SIDE NOTE: the French calendar attributes most days of the year to a different patron Saint.)  The overall Season ends on the following February 2nd at Candlemas, although Christmas observances and festivities in Provence culminate on the 24th and 25th of December.

According to tradition, the Provençal Christmas season begins on December 4th every year, the day of the patron Sainte Barbe, Saint Barbara’s Day.  This  is when families fill three small dishes—three representing the Trinity—with wet cotton balls sprinkled with wheat or lentil seeds. These seeds are kept moist in the hopes that they will sprout.  Twenty days later, on December 24th, if the wheat or lentil shoots have grown straight and green, the young shoots are wrapped in yellow and red ribbons, and the finest crop is placed on the Christmas table and believed to be a sign that there will be a good harvest or a positive financial outlook the next year.  On the following day, Christmas Day, the wrapped shoots are used to decorate the Nativity scene, remainging there to thrive until Epiphany in January.  Thereafter, the sprouted shoots are planted.

Towns all over France have Nativity Scenes called crèches, but in Provence they are uniquely different because they don't depict Jesus, Mary, and Joseph surrounded by the Wise Men. Instead, the "crèche provençal" is filled with santons, which are adorable little figurines that depict characters from village life like the baker and the fishwife. This is because the display of crèches, like much of religious life, was banned during the French Revolution which forbade public nativities.

Consequently, “private” nativities developed in Provençal homes. A clever artist from Marseille, Jean Louis Lagnel, a native of Marseille, invented "santons" in 1800 and turned the crèche into a village scene using his figurines instead of the usual Biblical characters. These miniature figurines originally were made from moulds and used crustless bread. This tradition was passed down from father to son with a great deal of secrecy from the 19th Century onwards. Ironically, the anti-religious zealots of the French Revolution somehow missed the fact that the word santon means “little saint.” Today, the santons are generally made from either argyle or earthenware and are painted and dressed.  The profession of Santonnier is now recognized as a traditional Provençal craft.

Parades take place all over Provence during the Christmas season, with songs played on fifes and tambourines and townspeople in traditional dress.  Especially popular is the lady’s Arlésienne outfit, a long, flowing dress with scarves over the shoulders, and hair pinned up. One of the most entertaining parades is La Bravade Calendale of Aix-en-Provence which originated during the mid-13th Century in the year 1256 instituted by Charles 1st of Anjou, Count of Provence, upon his returning from the Crusade with his brother Saint Louis. It marks the Winter Solstice (St. John the Evangelist), the longest night of the year. Very close to Christmas, the "Winter Saint John" celebrates the passage to the new year.  Parade participants are dressed in colourful costumes, some prance about dressed as dancing horses, young men with huge flags spin and hurl the flags in the air like jugglers, and the procession includes music, games and dances.

This event is also a reminder of the custom of The Offering, when in the past on Christmas Day, groups of musicians would go around to the town's authorities, offering them, to the tune of music, the "Christmas oil pump" that the Provençals are so fond of, and using a multitude of more than 200 actors from all over the region performing in the Provençal tradition with blunderbusses and who enliven the Aix with splendour and colour.

La Bravade Calendale
in Aix-en-Provence

The traditional Christmas Dinner in Provence, known as Le Gros Souper, The Great Supper, occurs on Christmas Eve.  The Dinner concludes with Les Treize Desserts (The 13 Desserts).  Like many Christmas traditions, it is full of religious symbolism—13 representing the number of people at the Last Supper -- Jesus and the 12 Apostles.  Before the Midnight Mass, this meal is served on three white tablecloths of different sizes, with three candelabras on the table representing the Holy Trinity, and three wheat saucers filled with the spouts from the seeds planted on Saint Barbara's Day, twenty days earlier on December 4th.  The composition of the desserts varies according to region, canton, city and even family, and generally includes fresh and candied fruit, nougats, and fruit pastes.  It is traditional to set an extra place setting for the poor man (le pauvre) which refers to someone who has died, but it can also be a beggar who passes by and asks for alms. The poor man’s share is a reminder of the story of the Holy Family, who found no one to welcome them that night.

Traditional Provence Christmas Eve Dinner Table
with the 13 Desserts
Photo Credit: Véronique Pagnier 

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(Primary Sources and Photo credits:  Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Tourism Board;  Provence Days;  French Moments; Véronique Pagnier; The Good Life France;  Perfectly Provence;  aixenprovence.fr) 

©2023 Snobby Tours®, Inc. All Rights Reserved.