Ostern

In Germany, Ostern is the movable Christian feast of Easter, with Easter Sunday falling between 22 March and 25 April. The holiday period centers on Karfreitag, Ostersonntag, and Ostermontag, and many families use the long weekend for church, visits, and meals together. In the days before Easter, homes are decorated with an Osterstrauß, branches hung with painted eggs, ribbons, or small ornaments. In many parts of northern and northwestern Germany, especially in villages and small towns, people also gather for an Osterfeuer on Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday evening. These large bonfires are public events, with neighbors standing outside, talking, eating, and wishing each other “Frohe Ostern.”

For many children, the best-known moment comes on Easter Sunday morning, when the Osterhase is said to have hidden colored eggs, chocolate eggs, and chocolate rabbits in the garden, on the balcony, or around the house. Adults prepare the hiding places before the search begins, often using small baskets. Breakfast or brunch commonly includes boiled eggs, bread rolls, and sweet yeast breads such as Hefezopf or Osterbrot; some families also serve a lamb-shaped cake called Osterlamm. Churchgoing families may attend an Easter service before or after the meal. Later in the day, people often visit grandparents, take a spring walk, or sit together for coffee and cake on Ostersonntag or Ostermontag.

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