Easter week begins with Palm Sunday, the 6th Sunday of Lent, the Sunday before Easter. The name comes from the Palms laid at Jesus’s donkey’s feet as he and his followers made their way into Jerusalem. On Palm Sunday in Germany, especially in Bavaria, this procession is recreated by clergy and others walking through the town, singing hymns, praying, and carrying…
Category: German Easter Traditions
German Easter Markets – Easter Shopping In Germany
We all know about German Christmas Markets… but did you know that every Spring there are German EASTER Markets?!? These sweet little markets pop up on weekends during Lent, and leading right up until Easter. Germans do love to decorate their homes to celebrate Easter, and the Markets give them a chance to find that perfect something new to welcome…
German Easter Fountains- a Colorful German Easter Tradition
One way towns in Germany prepare for Easter is by decorating fountains. These German Easter Fountains are covered with flowers and colored eggs, making them a festive centerpiece in the city center square. Some places get wildly creative with arches and bundles of plastic hanging eggs. Other towns are more conservative, with mostly container plants strung with a few…
What is the Easter Fire in Germany? A Symbol of Light in Darkness
What is the Easter Fire in Germany, and why is it lit? The Easter Fire, or Osterfeuer, symbolizes light in the darkness. It can be as simple as lighting a candle or as big as the bonfires ignited all over Germany at Easter. Because fire symbolizes the light of renewal, it signifies the end of Winter and the coming of…
German Easter Story Books For Kids- Perfect for Easter Baskets!
Cute German Easter Story Books for kids are a nice (non-edible and non-messy) addition to the Easter Basket. The stories can be read over and over, long after the chocolate and candies have been eaten. Most of these Easter Stories are in German, and a few are bilingual. They are perfect for young children learning German… and are great for…
Where to Buy German Easter Chocolate for Your Easter Basket!
I love German Easter Chocolate! Right about now, my Christmas Chocolate is a distant memory, and I’m ready to stock up on delicious sweets! This special imported chocolate is not just for kids! Of course, the kids in your world will be delighted if Osterhase brings them a basket or Paper Mache Egg filled with wonderful chocolate treats. Adults will…
German Easter Lamb Cake -Recipe and Lamb Molds
German Easter Lamb Cake is the centerpiece and dessert on many tables at Easter. The sweet lamb,is baked into a lamb shaped mold… then decorated with either a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar, or in some homes, white frosting. In general, the cake is a pound cake, sometimes flavored with ground nuts. Why a Lamb? Lambs have long been seen…
Where did the Easter Bunny Come From? Germany, of Course!
Have you ever wondered “where did the Easter Bunny come from?” The whole story of rabbits bringing eggs overnight doesn’t really make sense on the face of it… Rabbits don’t lay eggs after all… so it’s not exactly logical. It turns out that there is a very sweet story, almost a Fairy Tale, associated with the origins of the Easter…
The Osterbaum / German Easter Tree- Make Your OWN Easter Tree
Every year during the Easter season, my mother would place a few budding branches in a vase and hang colorfully painted eggs from them. This was an Osterbaum, an Easter Tree. Some call it an Osterstrauss or Easter Bouquet since it’s in a vase. But what is an Osterbaum? Osterbaum, in German, means Easter Tree. This pretty decoration brightens the…
Easter Water- The Legend of Osterwasser
I received a message from Paul Von Stache, who told me a story I’d never heard before, The Legend of Osterwasser or Easter Water. He learned about it at an estate auction of an older woman in his hometown who originally came from Pomerania, Germany. One of the items up for auction was a brown glass gallon jug with a…