Among French traditions of the New Year/Réveillon, along with delicious dinners with oysters and champagne (here is a great post about French dîners de Réveillon), is the relatively new one of burning cars. This year, French interior minister Manuel Valls promised an exact accounting of the number of cars burned New Year's Eve. Yes, he expected a large number, and this morning it was announced: 1193!
Having once witnessed a car being set afire under my window, I feel the violence of this act. Burning a car is not just setting off fireworks, it's aggressive and dangerous and says something bad about the society where it becomes normal. Do you think it's better to announce the number, or to leave it quiet? And why do you think it's a French specialty?
