Saturday 23 May 2015

Strange German Holidays #6 - Ascension/Father's Day

Lots of blog posts to write this weekend, but this one has probably waited to longest, so I'll start with it - as I think I already mentioned once, May is full of holidays ins Germany, and last week was another one - Ascension, the 39th day after Easter, and "coincidentally" always on a Thursday, which has the potential for a long weekend (although we went to work on friday). The day Jesus went home to his heavenly father - but apart from the Catholics going to church, that isn't much celebrated.

However, German Father's Day is celebrated on Ascension as well. Now, I've only ever known the quiet kind to celebrate that - you know, hugging your dad and giving him a box of chocolate or a bottle of wine (the same stuff you do on Mother's Day, which is why I didn't think to write about that one), but apparently there is a new trend to celebrating this day. It's open to all men, not just fathers, and it hails from around Berlin (my best friend is from Berlin, so I'm not going to say anything against them, but still, I'm not suprised). Apprently, young men will assemble to drive out to the country  - usually with handcarts ('bollerwagen') or carriages, but in modern times they will also use motorized vehicels - and do some manly activities, usually getting drunk a lot. Coincidentally, Father's Day is also the day with the most alcohol induced car accidents...suprise, suprise.

Sorry I don't have pretty pictures or more to say for that day, but I thought it would be nice to have a kind of stupid new tradition amongst all the nice old ones :D

6 comments:

katjakay said...

That father's day (new) tradition seems to have missed here, but give it time and I'm sure the men here will pick it up.

Carla - Alaska Wolf Pack said...

I wonder why Father's Day is celebrated on Ascension? In a strange way it kind of makes sense...

Leonore Winterer said...

Let's hope they won't, for once them being slow can only serve as an advantage!

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Strange way to celebrate!
In England Father's Day is rapidly becoming "Male Relative Day" with so many absent fathers, the children prefer to give their Grandfathers a card or present.
The card shops are not slow to join in, selling "You are like a Father to me" cards and "from the dog/cat" cards for the parents of furbabies!

Leonore Winterer said...

I didn't find anything as to the why...but you're right, somehow, it even does make sense :D

Leonore Winterer said...

That I find okay - growing up with my grandparents, I also gave my grandma and grandpa something for mother's/father's day. My mum and dad as well, of course. It always was a bit of a hassle in kindergarden/elementary school, because I needed to craft two gifts and everyone else just made one :D