Tag Archives: Easter egg tree

Hessen, holidays

Bring on the Easter eggs…

The featured photo was taken last year. I’ll probably get a 2024 era photo later today.

It amazes me how time flies. It seems like we just had Christmas, and now it’s time for Easter. I have been noticing that, along with the new blooms in gardens and on the trees and bushes, we also have some “eggs” showing up in the neighborhood. I’ve seen a couple of Ostereierbaum (Easter egg trees) springing up in the village.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post about the German tradition of people putting up an Ostereierbaum in their yards to help celebrate the spring holiday season. I haven’t yet taken any pictures of the ones I’ve seen in Breckenheim, but I did happen to walk Noyzi while a huge crew of neighborhood folks were putting up our Dorfplatz Easter display…

Based on our local Facebook group’s postings, it looks like there was also trash pickup. I really like this community spirit in our neighborhood. People are friends with each other and they work together to make the community better. It’s a spirit I rarely saw in the United States, although I do think Gloucester had its moments… at least back in the 80s. I’ll bet there was beer and/or wine drinking after this chore was accomplished.

I’m sure I’ll see the newly erected Easter egg decorations as I walk Noyzi later. I’m glad it’s Sunday, because that means that Bill will be home in just a few days. It would have been nice to have company yesterday. The weather was pleasant… or, at least it was sunny outside, rather than cold, cloudy, and depressing. The sun lifts my spirits and makes me want to plan trips!

But first… we have a new family member who will hopefully be joining us very soon… Stay tuned!

Edited to add: A few more 2024 era photos…

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holidays

Der Ostereierbaum

Easter is coming.  In America, that may mean a visit from the Easter bunny, lots of chocolate candy, and perhaps Easter egg hunts.  For the religious, it may mean going to church and, later, enjoying a special meal.  Here in Germany and in other parts of Europe, it may mean you’ll see some special trees…

Behold… Der Ostereierbaum

 

This year marks the fifth Easter season I have spent in Germany, but it’s the first year I ever stopped and wondered about the trees decorated with Easter eggs that show up every spring.  I asked my German friend Susanne about them and she pointed me to this Wikipedia article.  Apparently, the Easter Egg tree tradition has been going on for centuries in places like Germany and Austria, and other countries with a Germanic influence to include some parts of the United States.

Depending on when Easter falls during a given year, families start hanging eggs on outdoor trees or indoor branches between late February and late March.  The egg is a symbol of new life, which is of course appropriate during the spring, when trees are starting to burst into green , flowers are blooming, and baby animals are being born.  Easter hearkens better weather and brighter days after a long winter.

Another neighbor’s little tree.

 

A famous example of an Easter Egg tree was the Saalfelder Ostereierbaum, which is in Saalfeld, Thuringia.  The apple tree, located in a garden and, from 1965 until 2015, decorated by Volker Kraft and his family, is notable for having thousands of eggs on it.  In 1965, it had just 18 eggs, and every year until 2015 more were added until the tree became notable around the world.  Although the Saalfelder Ostereierbaum does not hold the record for having the most eggs on it, it did become a tourist attraction.  Many tourists brought their own eggs to put on the trees while others purchased eggs for five euros.

In 2015, the Kraft family decided not to decorate the tree anymore.  In 2016, the mouth blown eggs that were used on the tree were given away to another entity with plans to decorate a different tree in Saalfeld.

A news report about the tree.  It’s quite a sight!

 

I hope everyone has a happy Easter!  We’ll probably be brewing more beer.

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