God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.

Proverb

Mother’s day celebration in Germany takes place on the second Sunday of May. However, if this day happens to be the Pentecost (Pfingstsonntag) – the Christian festival for celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit (held on the 7^th Sunday following Easter) – then Mother’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May (a week earlier).

The history of Muttertag in Germany dates back to the Middle Ages. There was a Sunday in Thuringia (one of 16 federal states of Germany) when relatives used to visit and congratulate each other with spring. Spring was associated with the beginning of life, and women gave that life to humanity. Nobody worked, everybody went to their parents’ place, and mothers were blessed by their relatives on that day.

The year 1922 was the time when the Germans started to celebrate Mother’s Day for the first time, and in 1933 this occasion was declared an official holiday to be celebrated on the second Sunday of May.

From 1939 to 1945, Mother’s Day gained a remarkable position, where a tradition of giving The Cross of Honor of the German Mother was established. It was a state decoration conferred by the government of the German Reich in three classes: bronze, silver, and gold, to mothers who exhibited strong moral principles, exemplary motherhood, and who conceived and raised at least four or more children in the role of a parent. But this “golden era” of Mother’s Day did not last too long as by the end of the World War II Mother’s Day misplaced its Nazi elements, replaced by the more neutral elements of celebration by offering gifts, flowers and cards to mothers.

The way German people celebrate Mother’s Day is actually very similar to other countries. First of all, there are a lot of phone calls that German mothers receive from their children – as a form to express gratitude and adoration for their moms for the love and care given to them. There are a lot of colorful flowers that German mothers get on this day. Moreover, there are also white flowers sent to the graves of mothers who passed away, as well. Other forms of gifts are also chocolates, perfumes, cards, different surprising visits or traveling tickets and so forth.  It is also very common for some people to visit their parents and cook in their homes for their mothers.

Also known as Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday has been celebrated since the earliest days of the Christian Church.

It commemorates Jesus’ last supper with his disciples and the institution of the Lord’s Supper and established the ceremony known as the Eucharist. The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Holy Thursday is called Maundy Thursday from the old Latin name for the day, “Dies Mandatum,” i.e. “the day of the new commandment” referring to the command given by Christ at the Last Supper, that we should love one another, before he washed the feet of his disciples.

Preceding Good Friday, it also played a role in rural customs. A popular assumption is that it is called “green” Thursday because of the green vegetables, people eat on this Fastday, spinach being a favorite. In Germany, the tradition is to eat a big fresh salad, or anything green, like these amazing eggs in green Frankfurter sauce.

Oktoberfest is often associated with beer, but the festival’s traditions go beyond that. While the beer tents, of course, provide drinks, they also play only traditional Bavarian music. The original six Munich breweries still provide the beer. You can also catch people in traditional Bavarian clothing, dirndls and lederhosen.

Here are some Oktoberfest traditions that define the famous beer festival.

The Opening of the Oktoberfest

Since 1950, the Oktoberfest begins at noon on a Saturday in the second half of September with the ceremony of tapping the first keg. This is traditionally done by Munich’s Mayor (currently Dieter Reiter) at the oldest tent of the festival, the Schottenhamel tent. The Mayor gives his best to tap the keg with the fewest possible hits with a hammer, as he knows that next day’s headlines will be about how many he needed before exclaiming “O’zapft is!” (keg breached). The beer served at the Schottenhamel tent is Spaten-Franziskaner. A gun salute is fired in the air to the Bavaria statue. This tradition goes back many years and is a sign for the landlords in the other tents that they too can now begin to sell their beer.

Grand Entry of Landlords and Breweries

The ceremony at the Schottenhamel tent isn’t really the beginning of the traditional Oktoberfest ceremonies and festivities. About one hour before the “O’zapft is!”, the festival tent keepers and the breweries have their ceremony of taking over the Theresienwiese grounds where the festival will be held over the following two (and almost a half) weeks as part of the Grand Entry of Landlords and Breweries. A colorful procession of horse carriages and wagons decorated with flowers festively march down the Sonnenstrasse to the festival ground. The procession is led by the Münchner Kindl (coat of arms of Munich). This is traditionally followed by the mayor’s festival carriage. Behind this come the splendid carts of the landlords and breweries. Waitresses holding the beer mugs are also part of the parade, ready for two weeks of hard work to begin following the festive procession.

Oktoberfest Beers and Main Festival Tents

The beer served at the Oktoberfest can only come from six old traditional and Munich based breweries (the so-called “Big Six”). The breweries are: Augustiner, Paulaner, Spaten-Franziskaner, Löwenbräu, Hacker-Pschorr and Hofbräu. Each of the main Oktoberfest tents serves its own brand. The tents are often run by the same Munich based families for generations. The families often also run wirtshauses, restaurants and beer gardens throughout Munich. Below is a list with the breweries and the main tents where it is served:

Augustiner: Augustiner-Festhalle, Fischer-Vroni
Paulaner: Armbrustschützenzelt, Winzerer Fähndl, Käfer’s Wies’n
SchänkeSpaten-Franziskaner: Marstall, Schottenhamel, Ochsenbraterei
Löwenbräu: Schützen-Festzelt, Löwenbräu-Festhalle
Hacker-Pschorr: Hacker-Festzelt, Pschorr-Bräurosl
Hofbräu: Hofbräu Festzelt

Trachten- und Schützenzug (Historical Costume and Riflemen – Shooting Club – Parade)

The highlight of the first Sunday of the festival is another colourful festive parade through Munich and to the festival grounds of the Theresienwiese, theTrachten- und Schützenzug (Historical Costume and Riflemen Parade). Some 9,500 people take part in the costumed parade with horse carriages and by foot, accompanied by brass orchestras and bands. The parade begins at 10am. Participants aren’t limited to Munichers and guests from other parts of Germany, guests in historical costumes come from all parts of Europe, such as from Austria, Italy, Croatia, Switzerland and Poland. They alternate in colourful sequences with sports and mountain troops, marching bands, historic costume groups, fanfare blowers and flag throwers. The route of the parade goes from the Maximilianeum through the city along the Maximilianstraße, the Residenzstraße to the Opera and further to the Odeonsplatz, where the parade halts to be greeted by the Prime Minister of the Free State of Bavaria and the Mayor). The parade then continues along the Briennerstraße to the Maximiliansplatz, Lenbachplatz, Karlsplatz (Stachus), Sonnenstraße, Schwanthalerstraße, Paul-Heyse-Straße, Kaiser-Ludwig-Platz until it finally reaches the Theresienwiese. The costume parade was held for the first time in 1835, to honour the silver wedding anniversary of King Ludwig I and Therese of Bavaria, and since 1950 it has been held regularly and has become an event that is broadcast on live television.

Family Days

If you are planning to visit the many attractions of the Oktoberfest with children, the best days to do this are the Tuesdays which are traditionally family-days at the festival. Most of the rides and attractions are available for half of the regular price. The Family Days at the festival last from noon until 6pm.

Traditional Oktoberfest Souvenirs

Felt hats, beer mugs and gingerbread hearts are the most traditional Oktoberfest souvenirs. The Oktoberfest beer mug is redesigned every year and is a real collector’s item and popular souvenir. The classic design is already more than 100 years old. The printed motif is new every year – namely the respective Oktoberfest poster for that year. The mug is available at most souvenir stalls. In addition, many landlords sell their own beer mugs with Oktoberfest motifs in their tents. Gingerbread hearts and felt hats are available everywhere at the festival.

The Closing of the Oktoberfest – Gun Salute

Just as the opening of the festival, the closing also has a traditional ceremony – the Gun Salute. On the last day of the Oktoberfest, the traditional gun salute takes place at noon at the Bavaria statue. Every year the shooting kings of the Oktoberfest shooting competition are crowned here and this is celebrated with a salute. So, just as the Oktoberfest begins with the traditional twelve gun salute after the keg has been tapped, it ends in typical Bavarian fashion with brass bands and lots of saluting guns.

Photos via https://goo.gl/iVMNf1.

Related articles:
Oktoberfest in Germany
German Beer – the Absolutely German Drink
Oktoberfest…The Fest Of Times

Pentecost is a religious holiday in Germany to mark the Holy Spirit’s descent on Jesus’ followers. Many local and regional customs are also associated with Pentecost Sunday, which is also known as Whitsunday.

The dove often symbolizes the Holy Spirit, who is believed to have descended on to Jesus’ followers. Pentecost marks this occasion.

Many Christians attend a special church service at Pentecost. Spring fun fairs are held on the long Pentecost weekend in many areas of Germany. There are many local customs that go back to pre-Christian times. Birch trees are decorated with large wreaths (Pfingstbaumpflanzen) in parts of the state of Lower Saxony. Birch trees are just coming into leaf at this time of year and symbolize the fertile spring and summer seasons. Young men in rural areas may attach a birch sprig to the wall beneath an unmarried woman’s window. This fertility rite can be traced back thousands of years.

Large wreaths (Pfingstenkranz) are erected in two squares in the town of Oelde in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Each wreath consists of three poles wrapped in greenery and joined at the top to make a structure about nine meters (30 feet) high. People dance around the decoration and sing traditional songs.

The cattle were traditionally in stables and fields near villages in rural areas during winter and early spring. They were taken to fields further away from the villages, often high in the mountains, at Pentecost. The strongest animals were decorated with flowers and plants and led the procession. The custom of decorating prize cattle and leading them through the streets is still alive in some rural areas, particularly in southern Germany’s mountainous areas.

Public life in Germany on Pentecost is similar to that on Sundays. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed. However, some tourist stores may be open and stores at railway stations, airports and along highways are usually open. There are some restrictions on selling alcohol, public performances and dancing. Public transport services usually run to the normal Sunday timetable, but there may be some local variations.

Easter Monday (Ostermontag) is an annual public holiday in Germany that follows Easter Sunday, which remembers Jesus Christ’s resurrection, according to Christian belief. It is observed with various local customs. These include early morning candle-lit parades, walks in the countryside and egg races.

Egg races (Eierlauf) are held in some villages. The customs on egg races vary. Some are children’s events where children race with eggs (or potatoes) on spoons. The children run to the finish line as quickly as possible with the egg still on the spoon. Other events are for young men to prove their readiness to marry. These eggs are rolled down hills and the men chase after them. The winner is the man who gets to the bottom of the hill first.

People in some areas, especially southern Germany, go out for a candle-lit parade (Emmausgang) early in the morning to remember the walks that Jesus made after his crucifixion and resurrection. The parades end with a church service. People who do not join the parade may travel to the countryside for a walk and to enjoy the spring surroundings later in the day. Processions or walks through fields of winter crops may be held in rural areas to mark the symbolic end of the winter and the start of the spring.

Easter Monday is a public holiday in all German states. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed. However, some tourist stores may be open and stores at railway stations, airports and along highways are usually open. There are some restrictions on selling alcohol, public performances and dancing. Public transport services may run as usual, a reduced service or no service depending on where one lives or wants to travel.

The following are the complete German texts of some of the most popular German Christmas carols.

Most English versions of “Silent Night” include just three verses. These correspond to a translation from the original text of verses 1, 6 and 2, in that order.

Next to the German text below is a direct translation into English. The intent here is not to make translated lyrics which fit the melody, but rather to provide the reader with a better understanding of the original German text.