... at Christmas
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Nowadays, however, the festival is popularly known as the "festival of love" or "festival of the family". It begins on December 24 each year, although the actual holiday is December 25. Some countries have also registered the 26th as a public holiday, which is then called St. Stephen's Day. Today, Christmas is characterized above all by lavish gift-giving to family and friends. But it is also characterized by some great customs and decorations. For example, many households put up Christmas trees at Christmas and decorate them with baubles, candles or fairy lights and many other decorative elements. Many people also decorate their apartments and houses lavishly. Santa Claus is an important figure for the festivities. The figure can be traced back to St. Nicholas, but it was the Coca-Cola Company that shaped his image today. He symbolizes gift-giving at Christmas and is particularly popular with children. Long before Christmas, chocolate figures are on sale in every store that sells food.
... at Easter
Together with Good Friday, Easter is the most important Christian festival, as it celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The festival begins on Maundy Thursday and runs through Good Friday and Saturday to Easter Sunday and Monday. The holidays must always fall between March 22 and April 25 of each year. This is followed by the 50 days of Easter rejoicing, which ends with Pentecost. Nowadays, children in particular celebrate the Easter bunny, who hides colorful eggs, presents and chocolate on Easter Sunday. He was first mentioned in 1682. As at Christmas, chocolate Easter bunnies and other Easter sweets are sold long beforehand. But there is also no shortage of decorations at Easter. Fresh spring colors are popular and the house and garden are decorated with figurines, plugs and eggs.
... on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve celebrates the last day of a calendar year. It is named after Pope Silvester I, who died on December 31, 335 AD. At the very beginning of New Year's Eve, the ancient Germanic tribes burned wood and made noise to scare away any evil spirits. Nowadays, this is more likely to happen with New Year's Eve rockets and firecrackers. Many people make New Year's resolutions and wish themselves luck for the New Year. At midnight, the party really gets going. There is banging, drinking and, for some, lead pouring. Decorations are also a must on New Year's Eve. Lucky symbols such as pigs, chimney sweeps and horseshoes are particularly popular.
... to funerals
In fact, the history of burial goes back a long way. The first burial ceremonies were carried out by the Neanderthals a good 120,000 years ago. The dead were placed in caves together with food, tools and weapons. The ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians continued the custom of burial gifts and occasionally gave animals to the dead. The Egyptians richly decorated their coffins and sarcophagi with precious materials and images of deities. Today, the deceased are cremated, buried in urns or in coffins. Grave decorations play a major role here. Flowers and floral wreaths as well as candles are the most common. Symbols from religious scriptures such as angels and doves of peace are also very popular. But also more neutral decorative objects such as hearts or shapes with words.
... at weddings
A wedding is a highlight of a love relationship. The word is made up of high and time and means a time of celebration. Nowadays, a civil wedding is celebrated. Depending on the couple's preferences, the wedding ceremony can also take place in church, but in Germany the civil ceremony is mandatory in any case. In most cases, a large celebration is held after the actual wedding ceremony, with both families and many friends. Such a celebration is often planned weeks and months in advance and special attention is paid to decorations. Noble and cheerful colors are the main program, mostly white, matching the wedding dress. However, matching symbols, such as swans or doves, are also popular.