Mommy helped). It was a cold (rainy) night but Luka and I had fun following the floats as they played Christmas music along with lots of other people in town. The songs were French ones he knows due to our "studies" together in French music. They included the song about St. Nicolas (kind of creepy if you listen to the words - he reconstitutes little kids that were chopped up and eaten by an evil butcher - Medieval times are obvious as the origins for that scary story) and the Sabot de Lorraine. We walked past a church and in various neighborhoods and people's houses lit with holiday lights. We walked over the bridge after going in a circle around the Hôtel de Ville and then past Reynald's parents house. We stopped there as the others went on. Right before their house, there was a neighbor with quite a display of lights and a nativity scene (but no baby Jesus - had someone taken him away?) and a little house with a Christmas tree and animals.
Reynald's cousin who is currently working at a hotel in Paris pointed out that St. Nicolas celebrations are specific to Northeastern France and the Eastern parts of Europe - Germany, Poland, etc. It is not celebrated in other parts of France. Lucky us! I did not recall that, but do not remember that now from my year in Southern France. In any case, it is a great holiday and glad it is part of our family's traditions. Reynald's dad said that when he was little, St. Nicolas day was when the kids got gifts and Christmas was solely a religious holiday.
