Carnival

Carnival is a German tradition coming from the primarily Roman Catholic southern part of Germany celebrating excess before Ash Wednesday and the fast of lent.

“It is traditionally connected with farm servants or generally young men going from house to house in the villages and collecting sausages, eggs and bacon, which was consumed in a festivity on the same evening. While going from house to house they wore masks and made noise. The old tradition vanished in many places, in other places under influence of German carnival traditions it came to resemble carnival with its parades.” (source wikipedia)

Cologne is the most famous city for Carnival, similar to Mardi Gras, the town shuts down for the week.

Northern protestant Germany is a bit more subdued and the parties on a lesser scale. Known as Fasching, there are always Fasching parties for kids.

How cool, now that Halloween is catching on (and of course lived in our house); we get two times to play dress up.

This weekend Stella brought Hannah to Carlow for her first Fasching and had an absolute ball; lots of dancing and games and sweets.

We silly parents didn’t know we were supposed to dress up too. Next year and with full family in tow.