Easter decorations in Germany
During the weeks before Easter, houses,
shops are all filled with Easter decorations. The traditional
decorations include Easter trees with a variety of coloured eggs.
Often these eggs are hen's eggs that have been blown out and painted in
various designs. Many eggs have been collected over many years
and are carefully packed away and used each year.
Here is an example of an Easter tree, consisting
of cherry branches, which are still quite bare but will bloom by the end
of Easter.
Here is another example of an Easter tree using
spring flowers.
Another example of eggs hanging from a branch
from the ceiling the the foyer of a house.
Here is an example of beautiful painted hollow
eggs, ready to hang on an Easter tree.
Often people have favourite Easter decorations
that are used here after year. Here is an example of a Easter
decorations at least twenty years old.
The shops and restaurants too have wonderful
Easter displays in their windows.
Here is a Easter message in a shop window.
Other decorations consist of Easter trees, or various types of Easter bunnies.
The famous retail store KDW in Berlin had its entire shop window filled
with a great variety of toy rabbits. Here are other examples
of some Easter displays in the windows. Displays will
include other animals associated with Easter, such as the rooster and hen.
This display was in a shop in Leipzig.
Here is another display at a flower shop in
Leipzig.
Here are other shop windows.
Here are some decorations in a little village
in Germany, trees with eggs are placed in front of the restaurant.
As well as decorating shop windows.
The Germans like to extend their decorations to the garden.
Plastic eggs are now available especially for this purpose.
So when travelling in Germany, one sees life trees in the gardens decorated
with eggs.
Here are examples of eggs in the "Schrebber"
Gardens - Schrebber Gardens are community plots that can be rented and
cultivated. They got their name from a Dr. Schrebber,
who felt it was important for people living in apartments to have some
association with the land.
Then there are decorations for the garden.
Here is a rooster as part of the decorations.
Those that do not have gardens may choose to
decorate their balconies. Here is a balcony in Berlin
that was decorated for Easter.
It is also not usual to see decorations made
by children. Here is an example of a tree growing in
a pedestrian zone, with cardboards eggs made by school children.
Sometimes people use the eggs to decorate
other parts of their houses. Here is an example of a
fence that was decorated with eggs and butterflies in prepartion for Easter.
As well as Easter trees, the Germans like
to decorate their homes with other decorations. These
include beautiful tabe cloths as well as a variety of Easter bunnies.
Here is an example of the "Hasenschule" (rabbit
school) from the Erzgebirge near Dresden. As you can
see the rabbit or hare teacher is giving lessons to his students on the
art of decorating Easter eggs.
Here are examples of other rabbits, that can
be bought in Germany.
Here are rabbits that can be used to decorate
the table.
As well as rabbits, special Easter candles can
also be bought for Easter.
Public buildings and institutions are also decorated
for Easter. It is not unusual so see the foyers of institutions,
such as this elderly citizens' home decorated with rabbits made out of
straw with wheelbarrows full of eggs and with roosters and hens.
Here are other examples of "Osterhasen" from
the Erzgebirge, that were on sale in a market in Dresden.
Germans also like to have special table cloths
or runners just for Easter. Often these have been hand embroided
and these can be bought ready to be embroided. In addition,
embroided table clothes can be bought in most department stores.
Here is an example of a table cloth with
candles and rabbits that can be purchased in Germany.
As well as brightly coloured eggs, hollow
eggs can be purchased. Gifts and sweets are then put
inside the eggs for as special Easter surprise.
Here are some example of the hollow eggs
than can hide a wonderful surprise
Here is an example of a runner for a buffet.
In the shops it is possible to purchase many
different types of Easter decorations to brighten up the home.
As well as table cloths, there are serviettes
that can be bought with wonderful designs. Here are some examples
of serviettes.
As well as serviettes, there are wooden eggs
that can be bought with wonderful designs.
Here are some Easter decorations.
Here are tiny Erzgebirge rabbits also for decoration.
There are also wonderful wooden decorations
that can be bought to hang on Easter trees, Easter wreaths, or in the window.
Here are other wooden decorations.
Other wooden decorations are designed to be
hung on the window. Here is an example of a window decoration.
In addition to beautiful tableclothes, Easter
trees and wonderful Easter decorations, many Germans like to decorate their
windows with Easter motives. Window decorations and wall
decorations are also very popular in Germany.
Here is a picture taken from the inside of
a window with the street of the village seen through the window.
The shops in Germany are also full of various
types of "bastel" (craft) books that can be purchased with wonderful window
dispays for the children to make.
Here are examples of other decorations that
are made for the home.