European Union Forums

[Big_Becka]

I've been reading about different festivals and events around the world, and some of them are quite interesting! Does anyone know of others?

In the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, a tradition of spanking or whipping is carried out on Easter Monday. In the morning, men throw water at women and spank them with a special handmade whip called pomlázka (in Czech) or korbáč (in Slovak)... A legend says that women should be spanked in order to keep their health and beauty during whole next year.

There is also the World Testicle Cooking Championship in Serbia

[Steven]

True Becka. Serbia does have such a festival. Sounds funny, I agree . But I think it's a way to modernize their culture and traditions and thereby they are doing a great job. The World Testicles Cooking Championship was organized for the first time in October, 2004.
"WORLD NEEDS A GOOD BALLS OFFER" said an organizer of the Championship

[Faw_Peter]

So what is really amazing is that there is a jury which assesses the cooking and gives a mark. I can't imagine myself eating that stuff.
This jury probably is senseless

[Faw_Peter]

Germans have the famous Beer Festival Oktoberfest, it lasts 16 days and takes place in Munich. Starts late September ends early October. About 6 million people attend for the festival each year. Germans are proud with this festival.

[M.Helen]

An average beer consumption in Germany makes up 173 liters. A tough quantity for an average European.

[Terry]

I like the typical American Christmas celebration - home, family, fireplace, x-mas tree and of course, the good part, turkey... yammy
It's a real friendly atmosphere, especially on the 25th, when everybody visit each other and simply talk...

[Big_Becka]

Terry, this is pretty much how the British celebrate Christmas too. Is Christmas celebrated differently in other countries?

I realised this week that Guy Fawkes Night (or Bonfire Night) is only celebrated in the UK It's a really big event over here Here's a little about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes%27_Night

[Benn]

I know that x-mas is not celebrated by everybody on December 25. Most countries with preponderant Orthodox belief are celebrating it on January 7. It's because the Orthodox consider the old calendar to be more precise than the new one, in the matter of Jesus' Birth.

[Big_Becka]

Is Christmas celebrated a lot in Eastern Europe? I was taught that religion is illegal in a communist society, and I heard that that there were underground churches in Russia when it was in the USSR? But then I spoke to a Romanian guy who told me that churches were legal in Romania (but monitored by the authorities)?

Over here, non-Christian families will often celebrate Christmas - usually this is so the children can have presents and don't feel left out

[M.Helen]

In former USSR the religion existed but, not recognized. People believed in God, they maintained certain Christian traditions, but everything was done in secret, since authorities could have taken some actions against them. Christmas is now celebrated by the entire Eastern Europe.

[Laurentine]

I like the typical American Christmas celebration - home, family, fireplace, x-mas tree and of course, the good part, turkey... yammy
It's a real friendly atmosphere, especially on the 25th, when everybody visit each other and simply talk...

My favorite holiday is Christmas. I like very much the spirit of this celebration. The whole family gathers together, dinner, Cadore, fortunately, tree, snow taht's why I like this celebration teh most of all.

[hellodear]

Here is the short history of Christmas tradition:
http://www.history.com/video.do?name=ch ... 1586348684

[hellodear]

Easter is the springtime holiday marking the rebirth of Jesus and the renewal of the Christian faith.

It is a blessed time for the faithful to celebrate the life, death and resurrection of the Savior... and a magical time for children to enjoy chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks and jellybean-filled Easter eggs.

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[Peach]

is a very beautiful tradition. I also saw the Easter Eggs and Cake to Romanian, Moldovan, Russian, Ukrainian. I know that eggs collide and whose egg cracks it assigns one whose egg remained whole.

[Big_Becka]

I like these Easter eggs a lot! Our easter eggs (in the UK) are made from chocolate, and may contain some small chocolates inside. They are just wrapped in tin foil - not as beautiful as the ones in hellodear's photo! Some people organise Easter Egg hunts for the local Children

[tricker]

I like these Easter eggs a lot! Our easter eggs (in the UK) are made from chocolate, and may contain some small chocolates inside. They are just wrapped in tin foil - not as beautiful as the ones in hellodear's photo! Some people organise Easter Egg hunts for the local Children

In Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Moldova the eggs are not made from chocolate but are boiled...

[Lenin666]

[shane]

Armenians celebrate this day , together with the Epiphany (baptism) .Apostolic armenians celebrate Christmas("Surb Tznund") in 6th of January. Part of the ritual is the “Blessing of Water, when water is blessed with holy chrism symbolic of Christ’s baptism.
The main dish of Christmas is fish and rice prepared with butter and red Wine is served with dinner.

[Lorry]

Christmas tradition
in Africa:
In some counties like the Congo it is customary to leave a gift at the altar of the church.
in Austria:
For them Santa Claus who they call Saint Nicholas visits children on Dec 6 accompanied by the devil to take an accounting of their good and bad deeds for the previous year. If they have been good they get sweets and toys.

[Laurentine]

Footbinding was a custom practised on young females for approximately one thousand years in China, beginning in the 10th century and ending in the early 20th century. In Chinese foot binding, young girls’ feet, usually at age 6 but often earlier, were wrapped in tight bandages so that they could not grow and develop normally; they would, instead, break and become highly deformed, not growing past 4-6 inches (10-15 cm). Today, it is a prominent cause of disability among some elderly Chinese women.

[Martin]

Traditions existing in certain society follow all stages in human life – birth, growing up, marriage, death etc. Bride in Moroccan wedding is being decorated with traditional Henna tattoo a substance which is applied on skin through the hollow tip of a syringe.

[Martin]

Italy
In Italy many of the traditional events organized are actually sport competitions held between city quarters for centuries. Two teams wearing medieval clothes are fighting to score a „caccia“ or a goal. It is a rough and very passionate game.

[Martin]

In Chile little figures made of clay are placed under the Christmas tree called pesebre.
Father Christmas is known as Viejito Pascuero and he would wish everyone a Feliz Navidad y un Prospero Anc Nuevo or Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

[Laurentine]

Chinese families have a very lovely tradition called the 100 days ceremony where they celebrate the first 100 days of a child’s life. I suspect this roots in the issue of infant mortality rates and is meant even today to give thanks for the safe keeping of a child.

[Lorry]

Valentines Traditions In Australia
Valentines day cards sell like real hot cakes during the lovers' season.
You'll be astonished to know that men are more romantic than women in Australia. This is evident from the fact that 58% men buy Valentines Day greeting cards as against 41% of Australian women.
Valentines day celebration is gaining momentum among the youth and this can be figured out from the fact that 90% of people in the age group of 18-24 show enthusiasm about celebrating the lovebirds' day as against 45 % of people over 50s.