Category: Austrian
The Maypole and other May Day Traditions
The beginning of May was an important feast day in many ancient cultures, a time to celebrate the coming of summer. The Druids of the British Isles thought that May 1, the Feast of Beltane, divided the year in half, with the other half ending on Samhain on November 1. Both days were celebrated by [...] Read More »
Twelfth Night, Epiphany, or Three Kings Day
Don’t Forget to Leave Out Some Food for the Camels!
January 6th is the twelfth day after Christmas, celebrated as Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Kings in many countries with strong Christian traditions, such as Germany, Austria, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Argentina. It commemorates the visit of the Three Wise Men, or [...] Read More »
St. Nicholas Day: Open Presents on December 6!
December 6 is Saint Nicholas Day, celebrated with various traditions in many European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. In Holland and the Flemish-speaking parts of Belgium, the morning of December 6 is the day that children receive presents, rather than Christmas Eve [...] Read More »
