While digging into stories about Easter in Germany, I frequently encountered references to the Germanic pagan goddess Ostara. Ostara and Easter appear to be so entwined that even the word Ostern (Easter) comes from this goddess of Spring. Sources attribute many non-religious Easter symbols, like eggs and rabbits, directly to her. So, I thought, HA! The perfect thing to write…
Category: German Holidays and Festivals
German Easter Candy and Sweets to Fill Your Easter Basket
When I was young, we looked forward to receiving packages from my Opa a few times a year. Brown paper wrapped packages, tied up with string (actually twine… but Julie Andrews never mentions twine in her song). They came at Christmas (in the odd year he didn’t visit), our Birthdays, and Easter. After Mama carefully untied the knots and saved…
Sorbian Easter Eggs- How are they made, and who are the Sorbs?
Sorbian Easter Eggs are some of the most beautifully decorated Easter Eggs I’ve ever seen. My mother introduced us to them when we were children, and she remembered them from her childhood. My Opa, her father, is from Weißwasser, a town in eastern Saxony, Germany, that once belonged to Upper Lusatia or Upper Sorbia. While my family isn’t “Sorbian,” the…
Sternsinger in Germany – Children helping Children with Song
Cover image Thomas Guffler, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Sternsinger der Katholischen Propsteigemeinde “St. Peter und Paul” Dessau mit dem Oberbürgermeister von Dessau-Roßlau, Klemens Koschig, vor dem Rathaus In the days leading up to January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, you might see groups of children dressed in robes and wearing crowns going house to house. One…
Weihnachts Kinderpunsch Recipe- Warm Christmas Drink for Kids
At Christmas Markets and in homes, you find Glühwein for the adults at Christmastime. (My mother always left a pot on the stove Christmas Eve, and we would enjoy it during the Bescherung, or gift exchange) With warm wine and aromatic spices, it’s such a cozy feeling to hold the mug and breathe in the delicious steam while sipping. But…
A German Feather Christmas Tree- Christmas Nostalgia
My friend Dale recently asked me if we ever set up a Federbaum or German Feather Christmas Tree in our home while I was growing up. No, my father was a nurseryman, and it was a point of pride to have a real Noble Fir standing in the corner of the living room (never a Douglas Fir; the ornaments just…
October 31st, Martin Luther, and the Protestant Reformation
Eight German states observe October 31st, Reformation Day, as a public holiday. But what was the Protestant Reformation, and why is it celebrated? Growing up in the Lutheran Church, we heard the how Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to a church door, setting off the Protestant Reformation and ultimately starting the Lutheran Church. That’s the short version of the…
Oktoberfest Party Ideas- Plan An Oktoberfest Party!
Even if you can’t make it to Munich, you can still celebrate! Plan an Oktoberfest Party at home with these Oktoberfest Theme Party Ideas! All you need is Beer, food music and some fun Oktoberfst party supplies/ decorations to get everyone in the mood! You can go big… and rent a tent, hire a band, and tap a keg or two….…
The German Easter Holidays- Easter Weekend in Germany
Celebrating the German Easter Holidays is much more than finding eggs and a church service on Sunday. You celebrate the Easter weekend in Germany! Although the country is becoming more secular, Easter feels much more celebrated or acknowledged than in the US. I’m not talking about the commercial aspect. Yes, there are colorful eggs and decorations in every store. Still,…
Eierlikör Torte Recipe – Perfect for Easter or the Kaffeeklatsch
I am not a trained baker. What I am is a woman who loves to eat baked goods, so I started baking at home. I had a theory… If I have to bake it myself, I won’t eat as much, because it will take time/energy to create delicious baked goods, and I’m a bit lazy by nature. It turns out…