Just like last year's Maibaumaufstellung, this year's event was fun despite the drizzly weather!
Even though the 1st of May is somewhat like Labor Day, the tradition of the tree-raising is to welcome the spring season. Go here if you'd like the complete story. Trees are raised all over, (some amazingly tall) and there are even histories of rival towns stealing one another's trees in the middle of the night!
The volunteer fire fighters carry the tree through our small town with the villagers playing music and parading behind them. After it's decorated with the local kindergarten's artwork, they hoist it up while the kids clench the safety rope they must stand behind. Then the children of our village dance for the crowd while holding little green floral arches. And the families enjoy sausages and wine before climbing back up into their vineyard homes with weary kids.
What a great way to celebrate spring. Too bad that we don't have that holiday in the Netherlands.
Posted by: Jacqueline | May 05, 2010 at 02:39 PM