Tag: Europe

2025 · Christmas · National Day Calendar

Gingerbread House DayΒ 2025

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Gingerbread House

Nothing brings in the holidays like the smell of freshly baked gingerbread. But before the decorative cookie led the popularity contest on the holiday dessert table, baking gingerbread was acknowledged as a specific profession. In the 17th century, only professional gingerbread bakers were allowed to make gingerbread, except at Christmas and Easter, when anyone was allowed to bake it.

In Europe, gingerbread was sold in special shops and at seasonal markets that sold sweets and gingerbread shaped as hearts, stars, soldiers, babies, trumpets, swords, pistols, and animals. Gingerbread was especially sold outside churches on Sundays. Religious gingerbread reliefs were purchased for particular religious events such as Christmas and Lent. Decorated gingerbread was given as presents to adults and children or as a love token bought specifically for weddings.

Gingerbread was also considered a form of popular art in Europe. Molds often displayed actual happenings by portraying new rulers, their children, spouses, and parties. Substantial mold collections are held at the Ethnographic Museum in ToruΕ„, Poland, and the Bread Museum in Ulm, Germany. According to some food historians, the tradition of making gingerbread houses started in Germany in the early 1800s. The first gingerbread houses were the result of the well-known Grimm’s fairy tale β€œHansel and Gretel.” After this story was published, German bakers began baking ornamented fairy-tale houses made from gingerbread. They were brought over to America by German immigrants and became popular during the Christmas season.

:https://nationaltoday.com/gingerbread-house-day/

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2025 · National Day Calendar

Fasching/Karnival 11/11 11:11 2025 πŸŽ­

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Fasching originated in the German cities of Mainz and Speyer during the early 13th Century. By 1234, the festival had already become established in Cologne. In the past, Fasching was often characterized by extravagant, frivolous traditions, including handing the keys to the city to a council of fools. Activities involved noisy parades, plays, masked balls, satirical plays, and excessive or impertinent behavior. As a result of the Protestant Reformation in Europe during the 16th Century, most of these elaborate traditions died down.

However, the fun and entertaining nature of Fasching has been restored in recent times as it is marked by spectacular parades and parties worldwide. The women’s carnival is the first day of the street carnivals, known as β€˜Weiberfastnacht’. On this day, women parade the streets in costumes and engage in harmless but mischievous behavior, such as cutting off men’s ties, leaving only the knot. This is followed by an apologetic peck on their cheek. Rose Monday is another day of the festival when a four-mile parade is held, with members of local carnival clubs dressing up as witches, clowns, or wizards. People line the streets to watch the procession and take part in the fun.

Fasching begins at exactly 11 minutes after 11 AM on November 11. The height of the Fasching celebrations is called Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday. In Germany, the day is celebrated on a small scale. But in other parts of the world, it is celebrated spectacularly, and people attend parades in cities such as Venice, Rio de Janeiro, and New Orleans. On Ash Wednesday, the festival comes to an end, and the 40-day fasting season begins.

:https://nationaltoday.com/fasching-2/