Weiber fast nackt

In Germany it is not Fat Tuesday that is celebrated, but Fat Thursday. Some places it's even called that: fetter Donnerstag. It is more commonly known as Weiberfastnacht. This night is one of Germany's Carneval celebrations, traditionally one of the Germans' last chances to go wild before the long, hard slog of Lent. Of course, Germany being a pretty secular place these days, most people recognize Lent by giving up alcohol until they recover from their Carnival hangovers.

I live in Düsseldorf, the German home of Carnival*, so at 11:11 this morning, the women of the city went raving, batshit crazy. Traditionally, on Weiberfastnacht the world is turned on its head and the women take control, notwithstanding the fact that Germany is actually being run by a woman at the moment. They storm town halls and make the mayors wear funny costumes. They carry scissors and sever the ties of any men they can find - men foolish enough to leave their ties at home find their shoelaces severed. It's all terribly fun, and this year I have decided to celebrate by eating a plate of salmon sashimi and avocado and drinking a glass of vodka and soda. My neckties are safely ensconced in the closet, and when I went to the fish shop I ran.

I'm trying to come up with a conclusion here, but I didn't really have a point. I just couldn't really let Weiberfastnacht go without mentioning it here - it's like Oktoberfest, one of those unique Germanisms that I find terribly endearing about the country but also do my best to avoid actually participating in.

*I'm saying this as a loyal resident of Düsseldorf. Cologne, I have been told, also throws a few quaint little Carnival celebrations that attract a few tourists each year.