Traditional German Celebrations

Carnival in Germany

Carnival is called the 5th season in Germany. It is the period before Ash Wednesday – the beginning of the Lent. People disguise themselves. They take part in parades. The most famous ones are in Mainz, Cologneand Düsseldorf.

Carnival at Carl-Orff-Schule

Easter

Coloured eggs everywhere andsearching them on Easter morning

Easter sunday

German people celebrate

Easter with a service.

The EasterfireOn one of the Easter evenings people meet

around a big bonfire.

May, 1st

May, 1st is a bank holiday.People meet in the eveningof April, 30th to decorate a tree with coloured ribbons.They dance around the maypole.

This party is called „dance into May“.

ThanksgivingFirst Sunday in October

Thanksgiving at Carl-Orff-Schule

Pupils of Carl-Orff-Schule celebrate Thanksgiving with a service at a church nearby.

Germany`s National Holiday October, 3rd

German people celebrate the reunification between the eastern and western part of Germany.

Saint MartinChildren celebrate this festival in November in honour of bishop Martin, who helped the poor. They make a parade with lanterns while singing songs to praise Saint Martin.They get sweets for their singing.

NikolausDecember, 6th

In memory of bishop Saint Nikolaus german children get sweets.In the evening of December, 5th they put a boot in front of the door hoping Nikolaus will fill it.Sometimes children are visited by a person dressed like Nikolaus.

ChristmasIn Germany there are two public holidays at christmas.

The cribOn Christmas eve

people go to church

to celebrate the

birth of Jesus.

There is a crib in every church.

Christmas eve, (Heiligabend) December, 24th

On christmas eve we exchange

presents.

The family meets

to eat, drink

and celebrate.

New Year`s Eve

Most people in Germany have a party on the last day of the year.At midnight they burn fireworks.

New YearJanuary, 1st is a bank

holiday.

In some northern parts of

Germany women

prepare „Neujahrskuchen“

a special kind of biscuits.

January, 6th Three Wise Men

People remember

the three Wise

Men

who worshipped

the new born king.

The three Wise Men

Children dressed in king`s clothes go from house to house to bless them.

They raise money to give it to a charity organisation.