Carnival

Carnival or in german also „Fasching“, „Fastnacht“ or the "fifth season" mentioned refers to the period before Ash Wednesday in wich this festival is celebrated wildly. The end of this time is always a week after the seventh Sunday before Easter. It starts officialy on the 11th of the 11th month at 11:11 am. Especially in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate carnival is celebrated lively, where Cologne is the stronghold of carnival.

In Germany, Carnival is celebrated with parades, masks, music and covers.

The specialty of these parades is that sweets are distributed. This is probably due to the fact that earlier Lent was imminent and so many calories was have to gained.

Carnival Costumes

Every year, people ask themselves the question: What costume I´m wearing this year?

Looking at the costume trends of recent years, the former tradition will continue in 2011.

Interesting are the different demands of men and women.

Females pay attention on one aspect of great importance: the costume should be sexy and provoke a lot of male attention. Nurse costumes are booming again. But a self-made, form-fitting hippie costume is now considered to be extremely popular, too.

Most men do not care whether their costume could seem a little embarrassing, so some of them have no problem wearing a women wig or a dress. In addition, many men rely on the well-known pirate costume, which will be extremely popular again, this year. Since the huge success of "Pirates of the Caribbean", the costumes are based increasingly on the look of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Top Ten of the most popular carnival costumes

1. Pirate costumes
2. Cowboy or American Indian
3. Pet costumes
4. Clown
5. Occupations
6. Fairy essence
7. Heroes of film and television
8. Vampire, Witch, Magician
9. Travel through time
10. Flower power
    
    
    
    
    
    

    Carnival 2012 in Koblenz

    
    Carnival in Koblenz - is a time full of joy of life and it devoted to the common celebrations. Over 40 carnival clubs with nearly 10,000 members provide fun in the few days.  A variety of events will take place before and during these crazy days.

    
    

    

    
    

    
    

    "Rosenmontagsumzug" (Roses Monday parade)

    
    
    

    The highlight of the carnival in Koblenz is reached on the so-called “Rosenmontag” (Roses Monday) on this day leaves a huge parade through the city of Koblenz. The parade will take place this year on 20 February, from 12:11 o `clock. Thousands of carnival friends will come again to see the beautiful decorated cars which run through the streets. After the parade most of the people use the opportunity to celebrate in the many bars, pubs and clubs in the city."Rosenmontagsumzug" Koblenz 2012

    
    

    
    

    
    
    
    
    
    

Weiberdonnerstag in Germany

The year's big celebrations start on the Thursday, with Weiberdonnerstag, Women's Thursday, in Rhineland's Karneval, or South West Germany's Fastnacht Schmutziger Donnerstag or Schmotziger Donnerschtig, Greasy Thursday as it is known locally, which are then followed by the Die Drei Tollen Tage, the three crazy days.

No man will wear any tie he holds dear on Weiberdonnerstag because by tradition women take over, and one of their popular customs is chasing men to cut off their ties as prizes and later nailing them to a wall. Special ties are sold to be worn for the day and an amazing amount of turtleneck sweaters appear on normally very conventionally dressed office workers.

While until some years ago any divorce case brought about because of an incident that had occurred on Weiberdonnerstag would be disallowed by the court.

However it might take place on the same day but Fastnacht's Schmotziger Donnerschtig, called that because it was the day pigs were slaughtered ready to be smoked or prepared for Easter and similar to Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday, is celebrated in a very different way.