Duly celebrated – (PIP #51)

By Louise Peloquin

New Year’s festivities survive the passage of time. Perennial celebrations, like flowers, bear colorful promises.

May L’Etoile’s wishes for a Bonne et heureuse année offer hope for the future.

L’Etoile – December 30, 1924

New Year’s Day in our community

     The city’s Franco-American organizations have prepared elaborate programs to worthily celebrate their favorite big fête – Ancestral customs respected as much as possible.

     The arrival of New Year’s Day must duly be celebrated in Lowell and vicinity where approximately 35,000 Franco-Americans live. In addition to the religious feast, New Year’s is a day when Franco-Americans put together the year’s biggest celebration. It is true that the old custom of sleigh rides from parish to parish to spread New Year’s wishes will not be included in the fête. Nevertheless, the spirit of the occasion remains. The city’s thousands of Franco-Americans will have Bonne et Heureuse Année (Good and Happy New Year) on their lips.

     In the ancestors’ country, holiday celebrations begin on Christmas Eve and end with the Feast of the Three Kings (Epiphany, January 6). Although the city’s celebration is not as elaborate, many vestiges of old Canadian customs remain in almost every Franco-American organization and also in every home where French is spoken. For some time, special committees have been named by various city organizations to manage the celebrations. A considerable number of Lowellians who, for business or other reasons, are outside the city during the year, will return to family homes for holiday gatherings here. Other Franco-Americans will spend the holidays in Canada with parents and friends.

     Tonight, there will be dancing and a mascarade in the vast Club des Citoyens-Américains (American Citizens Club) room where numerous Franco-Americans will welcome in the New Year. The most substantial, and probably the most beautiful, of Lowell’s Franco-American celebrations will take place tomorrow and Thursday night at the Club des Citoyens-Américains on Middle Street. The social committee has been preparing for a month. Only club members and their friends will participate.

     The program will include dancing, a dinner with an excellent menu and, at midnight, a grand march in a seasonal decor to mark the end of 1924 and the beginning of the new year. The following committee is in charge of preparations:  Fernando Lagassé, president; Conrad Gauthier, secretary-treasurer; Léon Champagne, Joseph Dubuque, Harry Gaudette, Armand Jacob, and president Raoul Dionne, ex-officio.

     Another major celebration which interests our Franco-Americans very much is tomorrow night’s at the Association Catholique hall. Here again, only members and their families will attend. The following committee has been working on an excellent program: Eugène Belle, president; Raoul Landry, secretary; Alfred Bérubé, Léon Lamoureux, Albert Simard, Thomas Côté, Adélard St. Jean, Joseph Simard, L. Desruisseaux, O. Caron, J.N. Chrétien, Joseph Breton, Henri Lamoureux, Hector St. Jean, Joseph Doucette, George Morin, Amédée St. Jean, Léo Baron and Zénon Chouinard, ex-officio.

     Also tomorrow night, the Cercle Paroissiale de Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes (Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Circle) will hold a barbecue in the parish hall on East Pine Street. All of the city’s Franco-Americans are invited for a program of amusements and refreshments. During the evening, distinguished city orators will address the participants. This celebration is under the direction of John B. Savard, president; Wilfred Fortier, Ernest Lambert, William Dunn, Alfred Labonne and Ovila Bergeron, ex-officio. 

     Another celebration will take place at Grafton Hall on Merrimack Street – an evening of traditional dancing with waltzes and quadrilles along with other special activities. The general public is invited to the fête. Pierre Mard and his assistants are in charge of the festivities.

     Given that so many Franco-American organizations offer programs from now to New Year’s, the Club Social de Centralville has decided to hold its own on Friday evening January 2nd at its Lakeview Avenue hall for a program of music and snacks.

     Tomorrow night, the Club Lafayette is convening its large New Year’s Eve meeting in one of its luxurious locales on the corner of Cabot and Merrimack. The directors have prepared a holiday program.

     In most of our Franco-American churches, Midnight Mass ceremonies will be repeated on New Year’s Day with, in some cases, special performances for the occasion. Our churches will offer a New Year’s Day service similar to Sunday worship given that January 1 is a Holy Day of Obligation as well as a legal holiday. 

     In general, the 1925 New Year’s Day celebration will be more beautiful than it was over the past years. (1) 

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1) Translation by Louise Peloquin.