How to Celebrate Halloween in France as a Fall-Loving American
I’m an American who lives in France and can’t get enough of Halloween. Scary movies, crisp fall weather, haunted houses, and pumpkin spice are some of my favorite things. Fall festivities in France are few and far between, but that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying my favorite time of year.
French people just don’t seem to like Halloween as much as Americans do. Furthermore, and on a more serious note, France is notorious for encouraging not just integration, but assimilation for foreigners living here. In my opinion, living abroad doesn’t necessarily mean having to abandon your culture. Some of the best times I’ve had in France revolved around cultural exchange, which would be impossible if I completely renounced my American traits! That being said, I’m determined to celebrate Halloween and the fall season as an American living in France. Since there’s no Target Dollar Spot to peruse or Spirit Halloween to browse in the country, I’ve had to get creative!
Dressing for the Season
The fall color palette is one of my favorites to wear. In this outfit I layered an oversized burnt yellow sweatshirt with a black floral midi dress. I wore sheer black tights and my Dr. Martens waffle cotton ankle boots. Comfortable, layered looks are my go-to for this season.
Playful Polish
I love painting my nails, and I was excited to try out some new polish for the fall. One of the easiest ways for me to feel festive every day is looking down at my fingernails and seeing fall colors! As soon as it was officially autumn, I painted my nails a peachy orange. When it was time for a new manicure, I used a fun purple color.
Scented Candle
I love candles all year round, but a sure-fire way to set the Halloween mood is to light a fall-scented candle. I picked this one up at Franprix and chose it for its orange container and its warm vanilla scent.
Cemetery Stroll
A quintessential Halloween activity is taking a walk in a cemetery. Jalen and I had the chance to tour the Cimetière du Sud, a cemetery in Reims that first opened in 1843. The leaves are just beginning to change, making for some charming early-autumn scenery.
Halloween Snacks
Making fun appetizer plates is something Jalen and I do together fairly often. With one orange, a block of Emmental cheese, a bag of Tuc crackers, a pack of salted cashews, a few dark chocolate Mikado sticks, and a handful of Haribo Dragibus candies, we created this delicious Halloween-inspired plate.
I hope you enjoyed seeing how I’m getting into the Halloween spirit as an American living in France. What are you doing to celebrate the fall season where you live? Let us know in a comment!
4 Comments
Calli
My partner and I are currently binging different Halloween classics I always watched in the states!
Jalen & Maria
Sounds like fun!
Lisa
You can find a ton of tacky Halloween stuff in Gifi!
Jalen & Maria
Thanks for the tip!