Easter (written by Sabrina)

Easter is next to christmas and pentecost, one of the main Christian festivals in the year. We celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Some families have a cake in shape of a lamp on Easter morning for breakfast, the so-called “Passover”. Then the Christian families usually go to church. In the afternoon, Easter baskets are hidden in the house or in the garden of the parents (the "Easter Bunny") 

At my home, it usually our whole family (aunts, uncles, cousins​​, etc. ...) is invited. Then the chidren look for the Easter baskets. Especially for the little kods who still believe in the easter bunny, it is always an adventure. When all nests were found, there is always a feast. Usually we have a cold roast pork with side dishes. But the hard-boiled brightly painted eggs may not be missed. Then mostly the so-called "Eierpeckn" take place, which is a tradition in Austria. Easter Monday is also still a holiday.
In Austria Easter starts for Christian already on Good Friday, the dying day of Christ. But for most families, Easter is just a festival where you get small gifts. Sadly, some children today don’t know exactry why we celebrate Easter.

Baptism (written by Julia)

When a baby is born traditionally baptism is the first celebration in its life. Before the celebration the parents of the baby ask a good friend or a relative to be the baby’s godparent. Then the parents have to go to the pastor to announce the baptism and fix the date. Afterwards they organise the restaurant for lunch and invite the guests to share this special day. The guests bring little presents for the baby for example cute baby clothes, toys or other useful things. In the church the celebration is personal and often members of the family contribute with songs, playing instruments or read a text. The highlight of the service is when the pastor pours the holy water over the baby’s head and blesses the baby with the sign of the cross on its forehead. Usually all the guests bless the baby, too.

In November 2011 I was invited to the baptism of my cousin Eva and it was a wonderful day and she looked so cute in her white baptism dress. The best thing of her celebration was that she slept during the service. My mum held Eva and when my mum was singing Eva awoke and began to cry.

It was a wonderful day!

My cousin's wedding (written by Ines)

It was in June 2012 when my parents and I went to the Tirol, because my cousin Dominique had invited us to her wedding. So we all got dressed in our best clothes and got on our way. After a four-hour-drive, we finally got to the church were all my relatives and people I’ had never seen before were waiting to see the bride. And then she came. She looked like an angel in her long white dress and the bunch of white flowers in her hands. Her husband - to - be, the bridegroom, who was standing next to the altar, was smiling. He was just looking at her, and I think he didn’t notice any other thing that was happening at this moment. So Dominique went really, really slowly to the altar. It took almost five minutes until she had crossed the whole church and was finally standing next to the bridegroom. The smiled at each other before the pastor began with a very long speech. He talked about Dominique and the bridegroom Dieter, told us something about love, faithfulness, honor and marriage. After he had told us the best recipe for a good marriage, he had begun with the most important part. He asked both if they wanted to love and honor each other till the death will part them. “I Do.” Was the answer from Dominique and Dieter. Then we all got out of the church and talked for a long time to the newly – wed couple. We went to a restaurant and ate something, the bride and the bridegroom held a speech. It was a really interesting day for me, in my whole life there haven’t been many days were everybody seems to be as happy as this one day, I’m really glad that I was there and could enjoy that great day.

St. Niklas (written by Laura)

On the 6^th of December St. Nicholas visits to the children in Austria. He comes in the evening. When St. Nicholas comes to the children they sing for him or play an instrument. He always comes with a book. In this book there are all the names of the nice and the bad children. There are also all the good things and all the bad things the kids have done. The nice kids get presents from him. These presents include peanuts, oranges, apples and little presents. The bad kids don’t get any presents. So in fact it is better to be nice all year around. Don’t confuse St. Nicholas with Santa Clause. There is a very big difference between them. St. Nicholas was born in Turkey. He helped the poor people and gave them food to eat. Santa Clause brings presents on the 25^th of December –but not in Austria! We get our presents from the “Christkind”

The wedding of my dad's cousin (written by Linda)

Hey Scaffy,

Last summer I was at a wedding with my family!

We get up early in the morning to put on our „Dirndl“ or our „Trachtenanzug“. These clothes are tratitonal costumes. I was soooo prou of my dress because my mum and I bought it especially for the wedding of my dad´s cousin. Then my mum styled my hairs and put some pearls into it. At about 10 o´clock we were standing in the registry office and listening to the registrar. I was standing in the first row next to the kids of my dad´s cousin. Everyone was holding the hand of his neighbour and was singing.

It was the most wunderful hour in my life. The whole family was in the room and some people were weeping because it was very nice.

At the registry office we sang some songs and the adults got champagne.

Finally we went to the house of dad´s cousin and there we all got something to eat and to drink. Afterwards the husband put on some music and the adults and all the kids danced to tratitonal Austrian music.

All in all it was the best wedding I have ever been to and I am so happy for the newlyweds.

New Year's Eve (written by Franzi)

Hey guys,

I'm going to tell you about our New Year's traditions.
Some families don't celebrate the New Year, but my family does! Every New Year's Eve, we eat raclette, some pieces of pineapple and mushrooms. Some salami and ham..... oh and cheese. Especially raclette-chesse. It's so good if it pulls long strings. I love it. Moreover, we put sausages and small pieces of chicken on the raclette grill. Yummy! After this we do "Bleigießen"! It's a custom of fortune-telling by pouring molten lead into cold water and reading the shapes created. It's always great fun do guess what the piece of lead could look like. This year my piece looked like a dragon, that's really cool, isn't it? Doing "lead-pouring" is always great fun, and after we had done this, my family and I sat around the table and played "Activity".... that's so cool. And when it's midnight, we give a present to each other and wish good luck! Then we watch the fireworks that some families fire into the sky but we have none. My family prefers just watching the fireworks! I hope I've given you an impression of our New Year's traditions.

Yours,
Franzi ;*

My brother's confirmation (written by Katharina)

Last year I was at the confirmation of my one year older brother Florian. It took place in the Marien-Dom. In the morning we got up and dressed in traditional clothes like suit and’Dirndl‘. Then we went to the church. There Florian’s godfather Günther and his family were waiting for us. My dad took photos and then the Cofirmation started. We sat down in the church and waited fort he mass to begin. Then Florian was confirmed.

After the mass, we went to a really nice restaurant, where we celebrated and ate for lunch. My brother god a ‚Signet-ring‘ from his godfather. After lunch we went home and dressed in cassual clothes. Then we drove tot he house of Günther’s family. There we played playstation and other games. Then at night, we went home.

Basically it was a really nice day. In Austria most people celebrate a Confirmation like we do. Before the Confirmation, catholic Teenager must do a preperation course. There we learn about the ‚Holy Spirit‘ and other things we should know. It’s funny, because one weekend Florian went to the ‚Burg Alpernstein‘ with the other Teenager and they spent Their weekend there!

So you can see the confirmation is a jolly celebration in Austria.

Christmas with Markus

Today I want to tell you something about how I celebrate Christmas. For me it is one of the best feasts around the year. I really like the atmosphere in the advent.

On Christmas Eve my family and I always eat sausages, because it's a custom in my family. After the meal my great grandpa comes to visit us. When he arrives we go into the living room, where the „Christkind“ has decorated the Christmas tree with jewelery.

In front of the tree we sing carols and after that, we can open the presents. I really like this part of Christmas :). While my sister, my brother and I are testing our new presents, my parents, my great grandpa and my grandma eat a cake and talk about Christmas or the old year, for example. Yeah, I really enjoy this evening and in my opinion there should be more Christmas days around the year.