Storm Ciaran shook Nord-Pas-de-Calais at the end of October, causing flooding. On the eve of Christmas, affected families are dreading the holidays, between regrouping or isolation, difficulties in giving gifts and maintaining the Christmas spirit with the children.
While the stores are stormed for last-minute Christmas purchases, Vincent Maquignon is devoting his holiday weekend to renovation work on his house in Blendecques. Saturday morning, he has an appointment with a craftsman. Budget, deadlines and construction modalities are at the heart of the discussions, far ahead of the log and the gifts.
“We sacrifice Christmas because we don’t have the heart to celebrate”, explains the one who admits to having “was lucky to have found accommodation.” But “this is not our place” argues the one who is also deputy mayor of Blendecques, affected for almost two months.
Sure that her two boys aged 11 and 16 are old enough to understand that the period is complicated, Virginie Drouette is keen not to miss out on this celebration. “We’ve already lost everything, if we didn’t have Christmas, it would have been too hard for them”, explains the victim of the Guînes marsh, relocated with her in-laws. She celebrates Christmas “with family and that’s the main thing.”
Among the victims, some had planned to host the Christmas meal, like Bénédicte Loison. Victim of Guînes rehoused in a house thanks to friends, she received for lunch on December 25 (almost) as if nothing had happened. “We go looking for things every day in the other house, we wait for quotes and experts, we still have the floods in the back of our minds”, she explains.
Mother of an 8 year old little girl, she “still try to have the most family-friendly Christmas so as not to traumatize her.” For the child, he was “important to welcome cousins so as not to lose tradition and keep the Christmas spirit”, confides Bénédicte Loison.
Instead of having a toy for 100€ it will be one for 20€ or 30€
For New Year’s Eve, Louison Decalf “will have[t] was able to install all the household appliances ordered and have a good Christmas”. Problems with the bank prevent him from doing so, “She gives me the money in dribs and drabs, I am devastated, I have just received the insurance money, I need it” says this resident of Guînes indignantly. He has had to give up – for the moment – on his €4,000 order to refurnish his home. “I no longer have a freezer, I no longer have an oven” he continues, explaining that “it is technically impossible to receive [s]children as expected.”
At Bénédicte Loison, the Christmas meal is done sparingly. “We do the minimum, we prioritize” explains the host who thanks his loved ones for their understanding because “everyone brings something to eat to reduce the budget.”
Savings are also made under the tree, with cheaper or second-hand gifts, says the mother. “Instead of having a toy for 100€ it will be one for 20€ or 30€” admits Bénédicte Loison who also had to “explain to the family that this year we cannot offer it to everyone.” On their wish list for Santa, the family wished they could ask “a small check”.
Buying a gift is not the story
To her children, Virginie Drouette had to explain to them “without beating around the bush” that this year it is “more complicated to get the gifts they want.” The work on the house has not yet been costed, but “just for the material, I have more than €7,000” she confides.
For the father of two boys aged 15 and 20, “buying a gift is not the story.“He enjoys being with family. This year, he is sacrificing this moment for the benefit of his daily battle with insurance. “We wonder what they give us”, or €800 monthly for six months for the rent of the house in which they are relocated.
Christmas is less about gifts and more about family, getting together.
At 8 years old, the daughter of Bénédicte Loison “no longer believes in Santa Claus”, making it less difficult to explain financial restrictions around gift giving. The child completely understands and puts his wish list into perspective.that mom I don’t need it, I’m not going to play with it” she told him. “She wanted a large wooden dinette and told me ‘we’re not going to give it for Christmas because we don’t have the house’, so it will be for his birthday in May, if we are home again” says the mother, surprised “to hear these adult words” from the mouth of his daughter.
In this winding journey, the Guînes disaster victim revisits her vision of Christmas which represents “less the gifts but more the family, to find each other.” This year she is also detached from the holiday spirit “we do things at the last minute, because we have to, but we don’t have the Christmas spirit” deplores the mother. It remains a “break of 2 or 3 days where it feels good to think of something else” she finally admits.