In France, the 25th of November celebrates Sainte Catherine, the young patron saint of unmarried women. On this day, women who have reached 25 years of age wear green and yellow hats which signify wisdom and faith.
While some “Catherinettes” celebrate the day in hopes of being married soon, others proudly embrace their single life.
On St Catherine’s Day, it is customary for unmarried women to pray for husbands, and to honour women who have reached 25 years of age but have not married called “Catherinettes” in France.
Catherinettes send postcards to each other, and friends of the Catherinettes make hats for them traditionally using the colours yellow (faith) and green (wisdom), often outrageous and crown them for the day. Pilgrimage is made to St Catherine’s statue, and she is asked to intercede in finding husbands for the unmarried lest they “don St. Catherine’s bonnet” and become spinsters.
The Catherinettes are supposed to wear the hat all day long, and they are usually feted with a meal among friends. Because of this hat-wearing custom, French milliners have big parades to show off their wares on this day.
In a nod to this hat-wearing custom, in the run-up to St Catherine’s day, milliners from the big French fashion houses still create hats using the traditional colours of yellow (symbolizing missed marriage) and green (symbolizing hope) and give shows to exhibit the results.
On quite a different note, St Catherine’s day is seen as the first day of winter and the ideal time to plant trees and shrubs. People really do live by this rule and will plant either on the day itself or as close to it as possible.
The French say that before a girl reaches 25, she prays: (Lord, give me a well-situated husband. Let him be gentle, rich, generous, and pleasant!”)
After 25, she prays: (Lord, one who is bearable, or who can at least pass as bearable in the world!”) And when she is approaching 30: (“Send whoever you want, Lord; I’ll be happy!”).
And there is this, a fervent French prayer: Saint Catherine, be good, We have no more hope but in you, You are our protector Have to pity us We implore you on our knees Help us to get married For pity’s sake, give us a husband For we’re burning with love Deign to hear the prayer Which comes from our overburdened hearts Oh you who are our mother Give us a husband.
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