This can, presumably, be construed as an effort to broaden the appeal and acceptability of the festival to non-Christian minorities.
No such politically correct absurdities are evident here in Jersey, but we do have our own name for the wide range of activities and arrangements that help to make the Christmas period richer and more enjoyable.
The name, of course, is Fête dé Noué, which has the dual virtue of employing the Island’s traditional language, Jèrriais, and using that language’s version of an equally traditional name for this time of year, Noel.
The Fête dé Noué might have begun in a modest way, but it now features a programme that is full of diversity, colour and, for Islanders of all ages, excitement. To say that it offers something for everyone is no exaggeration.
Highlights this year have included a special version of an evening Battle of Flowers parade. For obvious reasons, this featured few real flowers, but it was nevertheless a riot of light and colour. It also featured more floats than ever before.
St Helier street theatre has been another major success. At the Lantern Parade and on other occasions fantastic creatures have roamed the town to the delight of late-night shoppers – who have taken full advantage of the revised opening hours that are also part of the whole experience.
Music is a further feature of the Fête, and those who have sung and played are to be thanked for their part in bringing life to a town which, for too much of the year, can be dead and uninspiring when the high street closes down for the night.
It goes without saying that the many people who have worked so hard to expand the Fête and make it such a success must also be thanked and congratulated on their efforts. Nor should we forget that although entertainment and enjoyment will have been in the forefronts of the organisers’ minds, their achievement has also done the world of good for the Island’s economy.
