Here are some facts that I learnt during my trips as time comes I shall share others later.
"Galette des rois" - The story goes like this , this is a celebration of Christ being visited by the Magi, the epiphany was set to January the 6th, Also known as le jour des Rois, this is the day when the three kings are traditionally added next to the crib. Over the years, this religious festival got converted into a fun filled activity. There is a dry cake is prepared for this purpose,
The cake contains a lucky charm (une fève) which originally was a bean, a symbol of fertility. Whoever found the charm in their slice of cake, becomes King or Queen and had to buy a round of drinks for all their companions. It's a puff pastry rather flat cake or thin pie filled with almond paste or some other paste. One can eat it for breakfast or as a snack or as a dessert - is there's a reason for this tasty gateau. Now It's sold in all French bakeries and eating the galette at the beginning of January is a very popular tradition and an opportunity for families and friends to gather around the table. The person who finds the fève in their slice of galette becomes the King or Queen and is given a golden paper crown. The King or Queen then has to choose his Queen or her King, by dropping the lucky charm in their glass, that’s what they say.
The above picture is taken when my house owner gifted me a dessert before I left from Grenoble. Taking about choosing their partner here are some here are some stories in those lines.
# In Italy, the groom's tie was cut into pieces and sold to the guests at the reception. The money earned is used for the honeymoon.
# In Poland, guests pay to dance with the bride and this money is used for the honeymoon
# In old England it was traditional to bake a ring into the wedding cake as a symbol of bliss and happiness. The guest whose piece of cake contained the ring, it was said, could look forward to a full year of uninterrupted happiness.
