What sort of Christmas would it be without a controversy over decorations? Euronews Culture looks at the debate that unfolded around Le Voyage en Hiver in the French city of Nantes, and tries to solve the "crime".
ADVERTISEMENTThe mystery of Santa Claus’s death began on the 17 November in the French TV studio of CNews.
The journalist Pascal Praud ignited a storm by opening his show L’Heure des Pros stating: “Santa Claus has died in Nantes”.
No, the body of the famously jolly present distributor wasn't found, but the journalist made some assumptions based on what he considered relevant clues.
Praud pointed an accusing finger at Nantes’ socialist mayor Johanna Rolland, holding her responsible for transforming Christmas from a Christian tradition into an ideological gathering. Specifically, he criticized her for replacing traditional decorations with the urban art exhibition Le Voyage en Hiver, thus depriving people of the true Christmas experience.
Nantes’s administration reacted immediately.
Mayor Johanna Rolland posted a thread accusing Praud of spreading fake news. According to her, there was no evidence of the murder of Father Christmas.
“Nantes loves Christmas and celebrates it magnificently. Differently from the narrow-minded people seeking to create divisions, Le Voyage en Hiver mixes artistic, musical and traditional animations to amaze,” she tweeted.
The defense did not convince everyone, and the mystery soon went viral.
Marion Maréchal, MP and niece of the far-right leader Marine Le Pen filmed a video in Nantes denouncing the degradation of French traditions.
The Italian right-wing newspaper Libero labelled Nantes as a feminist-led revolutionary city, while the TV program Fuori dal Coro portrayed it as the city that erased Christmas.
But did Santa truly die in Nantes?
Le Voyage en Hiver: A relevant clue to solve the mystery?
To investigate into the alleged death of Santa Claus, we need to examine the crime scene and the motive behind the killing, starting with Le Voyage en Hiver.
Unlike other cities, Nantes's municipality did not directly pick the Christmas decorations. These are pieces of art composing the festival Le Voyage en Hiver, an event coordinated by Le Voyage à Nantes, a local publicly-owned corporation organizing urban exhibitions and receiving subventions from the municipality.
“Le Voyage en Hiver is an occasion for our city. It brings artists together and asks them to create decorations that truly show Nantes's identity, putting forward its cultural and historical heritage,” Jean Blaise, the artistic director of Le Voyage à Nantes, told Euronews Culture.
This event was initiated in 2022 in response to a specific request from the city center shop owners, who wanted to bring art to the streets, attracting more tourists and potential clients.
Yet, not everyone appreciated the originality.
Pascal Praud and the Italian media identified Petite Maman Noel and La Nuit Je Vois as the central clues of Santa's death. Realized by the artist Virginie Barré, "Petite Maman Noel" is a statue of a woman dressed like Santa Claus sitting on a swing; while "La Nuit Je Vois", created by Vincent Olinet, is a group of several objects illuminated with neon lights scattered around the city center.
“With these decorations, the administration is giving space to LGBTQ and feminist symbols, depriving citizens of the Christian aspect of Christmas,” wrote Mauro Zanon on Libero.
ADVERTISEMENTHowever, when Jean Blaise was asked about the political strategy of his festival, his position was quite different: “The debate was made up and orchestrated by the most conservative French and international media,” he told Euronews Culture. “Nantes still has its Christmas tree and Christmas markets, we just wanted to be creative with the decorations. And, for some reason, these people seem to have overlooked that the central artistic piece of this edition is composed of restored church bells, playing magnificent Christmas music”.
Nantes' inhabitants: Possible witnesses?
We don't need to call up Miss Marple to understand that a crucial piece is missing from the puzzle: witnesses, people living in Nantes and not journalists coming from outside.
Overall, the art pieces showcased by the Voyage en Hiver generated mixed feelings.
Some citizens appreciated the decorations. “I do not care about Christmas as much as I used to when I was a child,” Mathilde told Euronews Culture. “But, it is an excellent occasion to colour up the city, and I think that Nantes’ decorations make it prettier”.
Others, like Suzanne, have mixed feelings about the results, but appreciate the effort: “I like Little Mother Christmas and the multicoloured deer, they put me in a Christmassy mood. Some lights do not look nice to me, but overall the idea is original and the city looks warm and decorated”.
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Others have a more critical stance: “I find the lights rather cold and unwelcoming,” said Léa. “Also, people living in the city center next to the neon statues have their houses constantly illuminated, not really practical at night”.
Despite the mixed emotions surrounding the artworks, one prevailing perspective emerged: the citizens of Nantes are tired of talking about the alleged death of Santa Claus.
“It's crazy to think that Nantes decorations sparked such a huge debate. I do not really see the point of it,” Loane told Euronews Culture. “Perhaps, Le Voyage en Hiver should have increased the number of cultural mediators to spark a healthier conversation around its exhibition. People tend to be very attached to traditions”.
“One might agree or disagree with the decorations and the display of Christian symbols around the city center, but this has never been the point of this debate,” added Léa.
Do these reactions suggest a code of silence surrounding the crime?
ADVERTISEMENTDo they highlight compelling evidence to hold Nantes accountable for the alleged death of Santa Claus?
But wait - did Santa Claus ever exist, or was it merely a distraction from political and economic problems unfolding around the world?
You be the judge.
