Easter is over, and the kids are getting ready to head back to school and kindergarten. It will be a relief to get back to ordinary time...
In the US most think of Easter as a one-day celebration; the devout may consider the 40 days of Lent as a part of the Eater observance. Here in Northrhine-Westfalia (the state, or Bundesland, in which we live), the Easter season begins really in November. On the 11th of November, St. Martin's Day, the Karneval season officially begins. It's also called the 'Fifth Season' here in Germany. It's mostly noted by the coronation of the king, queen, prince and princess of the Karneval. During the ensuing months, little takes place other than the occasional 'Sitzung', or sitting, which seems to be
an opportunity for people to attend a sort of dinner-theater featuring funny outfits, a lot of drinking, and many, many bad jokes (usually told in the local dialect). I know this because as time goes on, they are increasingly broadcast on TV.
Finally this season culminates in the actual Karneval celebration, on which I could write volumes, but will limit myself in this posting to describing it as Mardi Gras as organized by a people who take their partying as seriously as they take their work, and held outdoors regardless of the temperature.
Then Lent starts. Germany is an odd mix of secular and churchly, and it shows in this time. While in the kids' school (public) and kindergarten (Catholic) the story of Easter was often discussed, colored, crafted and otherwise instilled, outside of school (and church), in day-to-day life, I don't see much evidence of observance. By this is mostly mean a decrease in pastries in the bakeries and an increase in fish dishes advertised at restaurants. Hardly a wide swath of society by which to draw a conclusion, but I live a fairl
Come the end of Lent, the children generally attend an ecumenical service on the last day of school before vacation. Vacation starts the week before Easter and lasts 2 weeks. This allows the school to skip over a few holidays in this time, but means the vacation moves all over the calendar through the years, following Easter.
Good Friday and Easter Monday are holidays. 95% of businesses close on these days, including grocery stores, theaters and many, many restaurants. The Catholic services aren't significantly different than the American ones, other than the rather glaring difference of them being in German, although the churches I've been to integrate more music than many in the US.
One wonderful thing about a the German's attitude toward the two day holiday (Easter and Easter Monday) is that one has that much more time to see family over the holiday, and everyone is just as happy to see you on the second day as on the 'real' holiday. Christmas is the same way - the 25th and 26th are both 'Christmas'.
The Easter bunny makes an appearance here in Germany, too, but I can't really make generalizations about how much he brings here compared with the US, because it varies so much between families, just as in the US. However, unlike Santa Clause, the US isn't blamed for the Easter Bunny's creation. According the Die Sendung mit der Maus (The Program with the Mouse, the awkwardly named but brilliantly executed children's show I watch with the kids every week) the Easter Bunny has been around Germany since the 18th century, but not universally. In some areas they had the Easter Crane, Fox or Hen instead of the Rabbit.
But now that Easter's out of the way, Germany can start to focus on the main event of their REAL religion - the European soccer championship coming up this summer.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
I find it quite amazing how much about what's going on in America that I see here on the news. The election usually leads off the news. Exciting bits like tornados and U.S. presidential visits abroad usually show up later.
Usually what happens is, we're watching the news (8-8:15 every night, every station), and I'll see some piece on the presidential election, a scandal, a crime (or all three in one). I'll only understand 50% of what is going on, mostly because I can't decide whether to focus on the American speaker in the backgound or the German translation voiceover. Then I have to run downstairs to the computer and log in to find out the whole story.
But why the fascination with the U.S.? Regarding the primary, the husband comments that he doesn't remember seeing this much reportage during primary season in his youth. Is it that this year is simply so dramatic, or is it that Germany sees the nature of its relationship to the US riding on this election? Or something else... That certainly doesn't explain the American celebrities showing up in the news, or the other news reports. Perhaps the U.S. is playing the same role to the world that the British royal family plays in the U.K. - loved and hated at the same time, followed and criticized at the same time.The election usually leads off the news. Exciting bits like tornados usually show up later.
My leading theory is just that because Germany depends on the U.S. for most of its drama and comedy programs, as well as movies, it watches what happens in America to make sure conditions don't lead to another writers' strike.
Or perhaps I'm just full of §)(/$§)(")%/=&="....
Usually what happens is, we're watching the news (8-8:15 every night, every station), and I'll see some piece on the presidential election, a scandal, a crime (or all three in one). I'll only understand 50% of what is going on, mostly because I can't decide whether to focus on the American speaker in the backgound or the German translation voiceover. Then I have to run downstairs to the computer and log in to find out the whole story.
But why the fascination with the U.S.? Regarding the primary, the husband comments that he doesn't remember seeing this much reportage during primary season in his youth. Is it that this year is simply so dramatic, or is it that Germany sees the nature of its relationship to the US riding on this election? Or something else... That certainly doesn't explain the American celebrities showing up in the news, or the other news reports. Perhaps the U.S. is playing the same role to the world that the British royal family plays in the U.K. - loved and hated at the same time, followed and criticized at the same time.The election usually leads off the news. Exciting bits like tornados usually show up later.
My leading theory is just that because Germany depends on the U.S. for most of its drama and comedy programs, as well as movies, it watches what happens in America to make sure conditions don't lead to another writers' strike.
Or perhaps I'm just full of §)(/$§)(")%/=&="....
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Aldi - the short story
Ok, so there has been a comment about Aldi. Aldi is a limited selection discount grocery chain here in Germany. In other words, it doesn't have everything you're looking for, but what it has, is deeply discounted. It is the same company that some of you have nearby; probably in some low-rent neighborhood. It should tell you something about the success of this chain that despite the low prices, its founders are among the richest people in Germany (if not number 1!), and this in a country where Walmart couldn't compete.. Surprisingly, their food is quite good in general; their jelly in particular is outstanding.
However, like almost all German retailers, Aldi has side lines outside of the core of groceries. In addition to travel packages and branded prepaid cellphone accounts, every week they have a selection of non-food items - clothes, household items, automobile accessories, furniture... again, a very limited selection of styles, but very deeply discounted. Visiting Aldi on a Monday morning when they have children's clothes on sale is akin to visiting Filene's Basement on the day of their bridal sale (for those of you not from the Boston area, you'll just have to trust me that it's wild).
The odd effect of Aldi is, that if you are yourself an Aldi shopper, you can immediately recognize other Aldi families. This is because their kids are dressed in the same jackets as yours (there were 2 styles on sale last week), and the Easter decor on their table is one you almost bought yourself. Going to pick up Peter at school is a challenge - when they are on the playground, there are so many blond kids in Aldi grey jackets, it takes me a while to pick him out. Usually I pick the smallest kid, and that's usually my child.
To those of you in America you happen to live near an Aldi - get over the neighborhood it is in and visit it. This is the same company, and they often feature items imported from the German branch. The dark chocolate is really good; and the Stollen (German fruit bread for Christmas) is the same as they sell here in Germany. You can see their specials online - www.aldi.com.
Happy shopping.
However, like almost all German retailers, Aldi has side lines outside of the core of groceries. In addition to travel packages and branded prepaid cellphone accounts, every week they have a selection of non-food items - clothes, household items, automobile accessories, furniture... again, a very limited selection of styles, but very deeply discounted. Visiting Aldi on a Monday morning when they have children's clothes on sale is akin to visiting Filene's Basement on the day of their bridal sale (for those of you not from the Boston area, you'll just have to trust me that it's wild).
The odd effect of Aldi is, that if you are yourself an Aldi shopper, you can immediately recognize other Aldi families. This is because their kids are dressed in the same jackets as yours (there were 2 styles on sale last week), and the Easter decor on their table is one you almost bought yourself. Going to pick up Peter at school is a challenge - when they are on the playground, there are so many blond kids in Aldi grey jackets, it takes me a while to pick him out. Usually I pick the smallest kid, and that's usually my child.
To those of you in America you happen to live near an Aldi - get over the neighborhood it is in and visit it. This is the same company, and they often feature items imported from the German branch. The dark chocolate is really good; and the Stollen (German fruit bread for Christmas) is the same as they sell here in Germany. You can see their specials online - www.aldi.com.
Happy shopping.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Trödel Season!
One American I met when I first came here explained that Germans were the cheapest people she'd ever met. She didn't realize that she was talking to a New Englander, and we consider that a virtue.
Germans love a bargain. They therefore love flea markets. They love them so much that they have even verbified the word for flea markets, Trödel, so that one can actually "go flea-marketing" (trödeln) in German (note: all translations are mine and therefore the responsibility for all poorly translated terms is mine alone!).
Given that all stores are closed here on Sundays, the weekend Trödelmärkte (flea markets) are a huge draw. Often taking up a whole shopping center parking lot, they attract such crowds that you can count on a 10 minute walk the market from the nearest parking space. They are a mix of people emptying closets (who'd have a yard sale in the States), semi-professional collectibles dealers (getting out into the sun after a week of posting things on eBay), food sellers, and people selling disturbingly inexpensive bike parts, clothes, toys and cosmetics.
The children's flea markets are the best. No, they aren't selling children (with the population decline here I'm not sure they'd be a market) but rather children's things. These are usually held by kindergartens (preschools). Parents convinced they're through with a certain phase of child-rearing sell off the unripped, unbroken and more-or-less complete remains of a childhood at bargain prices. There are two kinds of sellers at these markets. The first is those who think their items are worth something and therefore want a decent price for their goods. I avoid them. The other are the practical types who just want this stuff out of their house and seem only to be asking for a bit of money so that no one gets suspicious that they might be unloading garbage. They are the best, for this attitude speaks to me.
As Peter likes to come to stop from a full run by using his knees as brakes, I no longer am willing to buy even 5,99 Euro jeans from Aldi for him (I'll tell you about Aldi later - it deserves its own post). So when I can score some gently used 1,50 Euro jeans for him from someone who knows how to come to a gradual stop, I'm in heaven. I've also rather shamelessly begun buying all sorts of toys for the kids there - frankly, come St. Nicholas, Christmas or birthdays (or as well call it, the month of December), they are too excited to notice the lack of boxes, or that an item is coming fully assembled already...
And do I have to point out that trödeln is good for the environment?
So buy your kids some used stuff today!
Germans love a bargain. They therefore love flea markets. They love them so much that they have even verbified the word for flea markets, Trödel, so that one can actually "go flea-marketing" (trödeln) in German (note: all translations are mine and therefore the responsibility for all poorly translated terms is mine alone!).
Given that all stores are closed here on Sundays, the weekend Trödelmärkte (flea markets) are a huge draw. Often taking up a whole shopping center parking lot, they attract such crowds that you can count on a 10 minute walk the market from the nearest parking space. They are a mix of people emptying closets (who'd have a yard sale in the States), semi-professional collectibles dealers (getting out into the sun after a week of posting things on eBay), food sellers, and people selling disturbingly inexpensive bike parts, clothes, toys and cosmetics.
The children's flea markets are the best. No, they aren't selling children (with the population decline here I'm not sure they'd be a market) but rather children's things. These are usually held by kindergartens (preschools). Parents convinced they're through with a certain phase of child-rearing sell off the unripped, unbroken and more-or-less complete remains of a childhood at bargain prices. There are two kinds of sellers at these markets. The first is those who think their items are worth something and therefore want a decent price for their goods. I avoid them. The other are the practical types who just want this stuff out of their house and seem only to be asking for a bit of money so that no one gets suspicious that they might be unloading garbage. They are the best, for this attitude speaks to me.
As Peter likes to come to stop from a full run by using his knees as brakes, I no longer am willing to buy even 5,99 Euro jeans from Aldi for him (I'll tell you about Aldi later - it deserves its own post). So when I can score some gently used 1,50 Euro jeans for him from someone who knows how to come to a gradual stop, I'm in heaven. I've also rather shamelessly begun buying all sorts of toys for the kids there - frankly, come St. Nicholas, Christmas or birthdays (or as well call it, the month of December), they are too excited to notice the lack of boxes, or that an item is coming fully assembled already...
And do I have to point out that trödeln is good for the environment?
So buy your kids some used stuff today!
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