Well, it is finally here. Our gang of 40 somethings here in Austin Texas are celebrating our first annual Himmelfahrt day. What is a Himmelfahrt you ask? It is a day in Germany/Bavaria where all the farmers and men have a day of drinking and mayhem without their ladies. In fact the ladies are expected to say nothing and support their Himmelfahrters when they come home ...uh.....greased up, so to speak. The farmers bring their home brews in from the country side, and wander the streets sharing their magical elixers with all other men...who are Himmelfahrting too. Definition in link above: HIMMELFAHRTSTAG or HIMMELFAHRT (Ascension Day) The fortieth day after Easter Many picturesque local customs mark the celebration of Ascension Day which is the holiday when everyone tries to get into the country for picnics and outdoor festivities. In the villages of Fienstedt, Godewitz, Salzmunde, Zornitz, Gorsleben, and Krimpe, in the Mansfeld district of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, the drinking of "Ascension beer" is traditional to the day. According to thirteenth-century documents of these hamlets, villagers are commanded to drink beer on this day in memory of the Countess Elizabeth; for it was she, in olden times, who relieved the inhabitants of the payment of tithes. Himmelfahrtstag is the accepted time for men to get together with other men on excursions to the country. According to one informant, this custom started in Berlin. In the nineteenth century the male merrymakers hired a horse-drawn Kremser, or charabanc, to take them out of town. Later, buses, trucks, motor launches, and little steamers--all decorated with festive streamers, garlands, and pennants--were chartered for the men's day of freedom. Often clubs hike part of the way to some point of scenic interest. Hearty refreshments of food, beer, and wine are features of the excursions; and even if hubands return home at night a little the worse for wear, wives are not expected to complain. So, our Circle C men's poker group has organized the FIRST annual Circle C Himmelfahrt. We don't have home brew but this is our lady less day. Golf at 8:30 Lunch at Golf Course Bowling 2pm Salt Lick BBQ at 5pm Poker tournament and watch Basketball at 7pm until we drop. All day long we have contests, challenges, and alcohol.......it is going to be ONE FINE DAY !!!! LONG LIVE OUR LIVERS !!!!!! Himmelfahrt has arrived !!! DD
I don't know anything about this day, but I do know that when my wife introduces me to her friends, she points at me and says "be careful, himmelfahrt".
I prefer the more traditional description you provided over your 21st century schedule, but I have to say...........this is a GREAT idea! I hope you can get it to catch on.
I watched the game during the Poker tournement.... I had an awesome day..... We finished 2nd in Golf, won Bowling and I finished on the bubble in poker but won high hand with quad kings....so up over all about $100 for the day. And I may be in the running for King Fahrt ! DD
Well, tomorrow is the 2023 Himmelfahrt!!!! We now have a trophy for the Himmel King....16 years now and still going.....strong ! GET YOUR FAHRT ON ! DD
Has it gotten any more interesting over the years? Have you incorporated fun Millennial/Zoomer contests such as docking and pegging?
We have had to turn people away, it is still fun, and now our kids are doing it, as mine are 24, and 20.... It is exhausting but the poker winner can win $1k..... DD
Why do ya celebrate it a week early? It's next Thursday according to the 40day after Easter rule. But yea, here in Germany it's where you'll see waves of men and teens drunk as fk while roaming through the villages with a cart/Bollerwagen full of beer, always fun. For your interest women have started an equivalent in the past few years.
The most delightful aspect of the German language is how they just take five or six little words and squeeze them together into one super-long mega-word to explain more complex ideas. Only two but in this case, Himmel = heaven Fahren = to drive Literally translates as heavendriving. Fahren also made an appearance in the old VW marketing slogan, Fahrvergnugen, the joy of driving. The longest German compound word I cound find with a quick google is: Rinderkennzeichnungsfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz Rinder - bovine kennzeichnungs - marking fleisch - meat etikettierungs - labeling über wachungs (itself a compound word) - above watching or supervision aufgaben - tasks über tragungs (another compound) - above sending or transmission gesetz - law You can say an entire complex sentence in German with a single word. Makes the language very fun In its own special way.
