Why don’t we celebrate so hard?

Having previously seen how Germans celebrate on Shrove Tuesday (and the weeks before it) and compared that to our tradition of eating pancakes – I’ve been thinking about why we don’t put the same effort into celebrating events.

I still have no idea – but just before we left Germany I was lucky enough to get involved in another great holiday that is humdrum in the UK – but really made into something special in Germany (and most other European countries).

I should first explain how public holidays work in Germany. Unlike the UK, holidays are held on the day they are associated with no – the next Monday. So May the 1st in Germany is the public holiday – not the first Monday in May as it is for us. This is an interesting system and has plus points and negative points. A big negative is that when May 1st falls on a weekend – you don’t get a holiday. A even worse example is when for some reason two holidays clash on the same day. This year May 1st was on Ascension Day – which is another holiday in Germany – so rather than have two public holidays there was only 1!.

Now Ascension Day is the day that has been turned into a great celebration – this is ignored in the UK – but in Germany – the men have hijacked it – and it is Father’s day. When I say father’s day – it really is – no mucking around with cards and that sort of malarky – men get a cart  – fill it with bottles of beer and go off into the woods for a day of walking and drinking (no need to tell you which one is done the most!).

We joined the Brass band of Serrig for a 2.5 hour walk from Serrig to Saarhoelzbach – where there was festival for the day – mostly oompah music but still enjoyable food, drink and company.

So why don’t we celebrate with such enthusiasm – I still have no idea – but next bank holiday – book a flight to Germany and no matter where you go there is likely to be a good simple party! :-D