Oktoberfest
Munich is rich in beer, and people often call Munich the beer capital. Munich people cannot live without beer, and the per capita drinking volume ranks first in the world. Oktoberfest is a traditional folk festival in Munich. In German, the original meaning of this festival is "October Festival", and the festival activities are not just about beer. Maybe Munich’s beer is too famous, so this festival is called Oktoberfest by outsiders. People in Munich may only know about Oktoberfest, but not about Oktoberfest. But for now, beer is really the star of the festival.
On the penultimate Saturday of September every year, the official Oktoberfest opening ceremony is held at Theresienwiese Square (Wiesen for short). There are some tents selling alcohol in the square. At 12 noon, the mayor of Munich opened the first keg of beer, and the Oktoberfest officially began, and all participants were allowed to start cheering and drinking. To watch the opening ceremony, usually arrive around 9 a.m. to get a good seat. The Oktoberfest is so large that it is not limited to this square but covers almost the whole city. There are wine sellers everywhere. From morning to late at night, people sit at the wine table and drink, or rush to the streets with beer glasses, shouting "cheers" to everyone, regardless of gender. During the festival, there are carnival parades, horse racing, street theater performances, folk songs and concerts. In recent years, domestic and foreign tourists have also poured in, mostly beer lovers. The locals in Munich are not so conspicuous anymore, maybe they are selling wine. Beer prices at the Oktoberfest are slightly higher than usual, at 6 to 7 euros per liter. Oktoberfest lasts for 16 days, ending on the first Sunday in October.
The first Oktoberfest in history was held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese. The celebrations begin on October 12th and end with a horse race on October 17th. In the following years, the celebrations were repeated, and later the celebrations were extended and started earlier than September because the weather conditions were better. The temperature is suitable during the day, and visitors can play in the square, outside tents, gardens and streets at night without feeling cold. "Octoberfest" begins in September, and the name of the Crown Princess is used to name the celebration square of "Octoberfest": Theresienwiese Square.
Oktoberfest is a "big meal". Take a certain year as an example: 5 million people participated, 5 million liters of beer was consumed, 600,000 roast chickens, 800,000 pairs of sausages, and 250,000 beer glasses disappeared, mostly taken away as "souvenirs."
New Year's customs in European countries
Most countries and regions in the world adopt the Gregorian calendar system and designate January 1st as the beginning of the new year, called New Year's Day. The customs of celebrating the New Year vary from country to country and may vary from time to time. But from a big perspective, the spiritual essence of getting rid of the old and welcoming the new is the same. Anything that is no longer needed, wants to be discarded, or is wanted to get rid of is called old. Whatever is longed for, hoped for, and longed for is called new. The beginning of the new year, I hope it is a good start. In various parts of Europe, although New Year is not as grand as Christmas, various celebrations still have their own characteristics and style.
UK: On New Year’s Eve, British people must have wine in the bottle and meat in the cupboard at home. They believe that if there is no food and wine left over, they will be poor in the coming year. In addition, there is also a popular custom in the United Kingdom of "drawing water from the well" during the New Year. People strive to be the first to draw water. They believe that the first person to draw water is a happy person and the water drawn is auspicious water.
France: The French believe that the weather on New Year's Day heralds the new year: east wind, a good harvest year for fruits; west wind, a good harvest year for fishing and milking; south wind, It is a year of good weather and good weather; when the north wind blows, it is a year of poor harvest.
Spain: On New Year's Day, Spanish parents are particularly "kind" and will meet all their children's requests. They believe that children's swearing, fighting and crying are bad omens. At the same time, most Spaniards will carry a gold or copper coin with them for good luck.
Belgium: The first thing Belgians do on the morning of New Year’s Day is to pay New Year greetings to their livestock. They go to cattle, sheep, and pet cats and dogs, and greet them solemnly: Happy New Year!
Germany: Germans climb on chairs just before midnight on New Year's Eve. When the bell rings, they jump off the chair and throw a heavy object behind the chair to show that they are throwing away the trouble. Jump into the new year. In addition, they will also put a few fish scales in their wallets, because fish scales are the New Year's mascot and herald wealth.
Switzerland: The Swiss believe that snow is auspicious. During the New Year, they take some white snow from outside the house, turn it into water, sprinkle it on the ground to suppress the dust, and then clean it.
Italy: On New Year’s Eve, Italians throw unwanted items into the yard or simply into the wild. It is said that this will bring happiness to the family in the new year. In addition, people always tell children fairy tales about the banshee, who sneaks into the house through the chimney and brings some gifts to the children and puts them in their shoes.
Sweden: On the morning of New Year's Day, the youngest woman in the family puts on a plain white dress, a red ribbon around her waist, and a crown with lit small candles on her head, and is responsible for distributing food. Many people on the street sell deer made of grass, with firecrackers and fireworks inside. Swedes like to buy this kind of deer and set it off.
Finland: Girls always throw their shoes upwards on New Year's Eve. If the shoes fall with the toes facing the door, it means they will get married in the new year.
Turkey: On New Year’s Eve, Turks, men, women and children, take a bath and then put on new clothes. In some places in Turkey, there is a habit of staying overnight on New Year's Eve. People have lunch on New Year's Eve, tidy up their homes, and then go to the homes of pre-arranged relatives and friends to stay overnight with their children.
I found it on this website. There are many more. You can check it out. As for English, I’m sorry that I can’t do anything about it. I suggest you find a search engine to try, but I tried it and it’s not easy (my English level is not high). You should gain something. Good luck
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