In Perceval, the Story of the Grail, Chrétien de Troyes refers to Christmas not as a religious event, but as an opportunity for feasting. In this passage, Christmas appears as a marker of time to underscore the length of a banquet: Here, Christmas serves as a backdrop for festivity, far removed from theological contemplation, with the feast itself taking center stage.
The Fabliau of Cocagne, a humorous 13th-century text describing a utopian land of abundance and perpetual festivity, mentions Christmas as one of many celebrations, almost ordinary in this whimsical paradise: Although the passage does not delve into the spirit of Christmas, it underscores its importance in the medieval festive calendar, even in imaginary realms.
With Clément Marot, we find a more explicit and lighthearted tone in the celebration of Christmas. In a pastoral song dedicated to the Nativity, the poet joyfully commemorates the event: "Une pastourelle gentileEt un berger, en un verger,Lautrehier en jouant à la bille S'enlredisoient, pour abrégé :[...]Te souvient-il plus du Prophète Qui nous dit cas' de si hault faicl, Que d'une pucelle parfaicte Naistroit un enfant tout parfaict ?"
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