Secret crushes... German style
May 25th 2008 21:01
Maybe I'm writing this post a bit late, but it's still relevant because the merry month of May hasn't ended yet.
In Germany, May means spring. It also means putting up a "Maibaum" or "May tree", especially if you're a young man.
What is a May tree, you ask?
Without explaining the ENTIRE tradition -- as it has a few different varieties across the different regions -- I will just focus on explaining the one I observed in our part of Germany, i.e. the city of Bonn.
On the 1st of May I noticed that all these small cut-down trees decorated with ribbons had suddenly popped up in front of random houses overnight. What on earth was that?
Apparently, on the last night of April, young men have the chance to show their feelings towards the girls they like. They cut down a smallish tree (usually a birch) and decorate it with colourful crepe-paper ribbons and a heart made of wood or cardboard with the name of the crush written on it. Then they prop the tree up against the house of the desired lady and... ta-da!... the girl should get the message.
A month later, the young bachelor is supposed to take down the tree he put up. At this point, if he's lucky, his crush will invite him out on a date... or give him a case of beer (hey, this IS Germany). Traditionally, he can also receive a cake from the crush's mother and a case of beer (damn, this tree really pays off!) from the father. And I suspect that after all this he'll be high on either love or booze... or both. Either way, it's not a bad deal.
Oh, and this tradition is not ONLY for secret crushes. Apparently, guys can dedicate the tree to their girlfriends -- just to show their feelings in that romantic, environmentally-unfriendly way. Also, during leap years, the situation is reversed and girls can give May trees to guys.
I haven't been living in Germany for very long, and I haven't personally received or given a May tree. Then again, I think giving one would be way better... because I could at least expect one case of beer in return.
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Comment by AmyHuang
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I liked Bonn
Comment by postmoderncritic
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Padsoc
Thanks for sharing.
Comment by Michaelie
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They may get as far as cutting down a tree for beer, but I can't see them brandishing their ribbons (or their hearts). Lol.
Michaelie
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Priyanka
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Mumbai Corner
I would have done it If it happened in India.... Ofocurse I would have to wait for a leap year!
..... may be I would persuade some of my friends to do it!!
Comment by What's Your Story?
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Comment by Eva W.
Life in Germany
postmoderncritic -- Yeah, some weird gut feeling tells me that cutting down young trees is not the most eco-friendly thing out there.
Michaeli -- I also can't imagine Aussie guys playing around with hearts and crepe paper. Then again, German guys are not exactly famous for being romantic either, which is why traditions like this are a good thing for encouraging romantic acts.
Cibbuano -- Cake? The beer, I say... the beer!!
Priyanka -- I see yet another person would choose the cake over the beer. I'm starting to feel like a strange minority here... haha.
What's Your Story -- Yes, it is pretty cute, isn't it??
Comment by Roni Askey-Doran
The father gives him beer because he wants to check out whether or not his potential son-in-law is an alcoholic, and the mother wants to see if he eats like a pig, so gives him cake... the design of ribbons and hearts would show his creativity and the size of the tree would indicate the strength of his committment.
All the same, I'd rather have a live tree any day...
Comment by Eva W.
Life in Germany