We have experienced our first Karnival in Germany. It is a custom celebrating the time before Ash Wednesday. It is meant to celebrate and endulge before you must give up "whatever" for Lent. This year, because Easter is so early, Karnival is early....it is a time of parties and parades and crazy shenanigans. For example, on Women's Day (Thursday) women traditionally storm the city halls and capture the mayor. They also go about the town and cut off the ties of men who have forgotten NOT to wear them. For Deron, on base the women tried to take their uniform patches. You can be spared this only by giving the Karnival Kiss....usually a kiss on the cheek.
There are comedy nights and "talent" shows held in the town tent. Then there is the parade. Each village has a parade with floats from all over the region. The teenagers, and some adults, of the village dress up in costume, keeping in theme with their float and give out candy, flowers, onions (we haven't figured out the significance of that) and alcohol. There was beer galore and these little shot bottles of liquor.
Karnival will end Ash Wednesday, 46 days before Easter.
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