... 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 24 December each year, although the actual feast day is 25 December. Some countries have also registered the 26th as a public holiday, which is then called St Stephen's Day. Today, Christmas is characterised above all by lavish gift-giving to family and friends. But it is also characterised by some great customs and decorations. For example, Christmas trees are put up in many households at Christmas and decorated with baubles, candles or fairy lights and many other decorative elements. Many people also decorate their flats and houses lavishly. Father Christmas is an important figure for the festive season. The figure can be traced back to St Nicholas, but it was the Coca-Cola Company that shaped his image today. He symbolises gift-giving at Christmas and is particularly popular with children. Long before Christmas, chocolate figures are on sale in every shop that sells food.
... an Ostern
Das Osterfest ist zusammen mit dem Karfreitag das wichtigste christliche Fest, denn es feiert den Tod und die Auferstehung von Jesus Christus. Beginnen tut das Fest am Gründonnerstag und verläuft über den Karfreitag und -samstag bis hin zum eigentlichen Ostersonntag und -montag. Dabei müssen die Feiertage immer innerhalb des 22. März und 25. April eines Jahres liegen. Hinterher folgen die 50 Tage der österlichen Freudenzeit, die mit dem Pfingstfest endet. Heutzutage feiern vor allem Kinder den Osterhasen, der zum Ostersonntag bunte Eier, Geschenke und Schokolade versteckt. Das erste Mal wird er 1682 erwähnt. Wie am Weihnachtsfest werden auch hierzu schon lange Zeit vorher Osterhasen aus Schokolade und andere österliche Süßigkeiten verkauft. Aber auch an Dekoration mangelt es an Ostern nicht. Frische Frühlingsfarben sind beliebt und es werden mit Figuren, Steckern und Eiern Haus und Garten ausgeschmückt.
... 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 31 December 335 AD. At the very beginning of New Year's Eve, the ancient Germanic tribes burnt 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 jewellery objects such as hearts or shapes with words.
... at weddings
A wedding is the high point of a romantic 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. Usually, a large celebration is organised 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 colours are the main programme, mostly white to match the wedding dress. However, matching symbols, such as swans or doves, are also popular.