La Toussaint by Emile Friant (1863-1932)
Today is La Toussaint in France, a national holiday. Toussaint is a combination of the word tous ("all" in French) and saint, meaning "All Saint's Day." The festival is closely related, in intent and spirit, to the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration in Latin cultures (previously here). It is a day to remember, celebrate, and honor departed loved ones and ancestors.
In France, the general population are not very religious, so this once-Catholic celebration has become a secular national holiday. People visit cemeteries to have picnics and to tend to the graves of family members and decorate them with chrysanthemums, a flower symbolizing death (a symbol shared with Day of the Dead); generally, the French do not use this flower for any other purpose.
