Feste und Feiertage Festivals and Celebrations

Emma faehrt im Dezember zum Weihnachtsmarkt. Sie trinkt Kakao und ihre Schwester faehrt Karussell.

In December Emma goes with her family to the Christmas market in the town centre. There are little huts with lights everywhere, and it smells of roasted almonds and hot apple punch. Emma loves this trip every year because the whole town looks so festive. She buys a warm cup of cocoa and looks at the colourful stalls, while her little sister Lotte wants to ride the carousel. At the end of the evening many visitors sing a Christmas carol together in front of a large fir tree.

Tim wohnt in Koeln und feiert Karneval im Februar. Er traegt ein buntes Kostuem und schaut den Umzug an.

Emma's cousin Tim lives in Cologne, where Carnival is one of the biggest festivals of the year. Every February people dress in colourful costumes and celebrate for several days in the street. This year Tim wears a pirate costume with a funny hat. At the big parade people throw sweets and flowers from the floats into the crowd, and everyone shouts 'Alaaf!' together. Tim sends Emma a message with photos, telling her she must experience it too next year.

Emma feiert im April ihren Geburtstag. Ihre Freunde kommen, und sie spielen Spiele im Garten.

In April Emma celebrates her fifteenth birthday. Her mother bakes a chocolate cake with fifteen candles and her friends come round in the afternoon. Everyone sings 'Happy Birthday' and Emma blows out the candles and makes a wish. Her best friend Nina gives her a bracelet she made herself, and after the cake they play games in the garden since spring weather is already warm. In the evening Emma tells her mother it was the nicest birthday so far.

Im September besucht Emma das Oktoberfest in Muenchen. Ihre Familie traegt traditionelle Kleidung und tanzt zur Musik.

In summer Emma's family visits relatives in Munich, and in September they take part in the famous Oktoberfest. Huge festival tents with music and long tables stand on the big meadow. Her uncle wears lederhosen and her aunt wears a dirndl with a colourful apron. There are roast pretzels, roast chicken and traditional songs, and although Emma is too young for beer she drinks lemonade and dances to the brass band music with the others.

An Ostern faerben Emma und Lotte bunte Eier. Ihr Vater versteckt die Eier im Garten.

At Easter in spring Emma dyes colourful eggs with her little sister in the kitchen, using red, yellow and green, while Lotte even paints little flowers on her eggs. On Easter Sunday their father secretly hides the eggs in the garden and the children search for them in the morning. Lotte finds the biggest nest with chocolate and is thrilled. The family eats a big breakfast together, and Emma thinks Easter is one of the cosiest festivals of the year because you simply stay at home with family.