Ostereier (Easter Eggs)

In Germany you mostly find brown eggs. According to the Egg Nutrition Board:

"White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and ear lobes. Brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. There is no difference in taste or nutrition between white and brown eggs."

All well and good, but how will these do for Easter Egg dying?

It seems that we got lovely jewel tones! I think next year we will try a little harder to find white eggs (i.e., look in more than our local grocery store), but these came out nicely.

Osterbaum (Easter Tree)

One of the traditions of Germany is "Easter Trees"...more like Easter bushes, really!


Journey-to-Germany says:



"These Easter trees are either made of branches cut from pussy willows or other flowering bushes or are small living trees and bushes that are already planted around the house.
In the case of the cut branches, they are usually brought in the house and put in a vase to be decorated with hand painted wooden eggs, hollowed out real eggs and little garlands. In the same way, the living trees and bushes outside the house are also decorated with plastic, wooden or real painted eggs and wreaths. It makes for a splash of colour in otherwise often gray spring days, giving the towns and cities a more festive atmosphere.
Of course little Easter chocolate eggs are also left by the big Easter Bunny (Osterhase) around bushes and trees for kids to find on Easter Sunday. Another tradition introduced in North America by Germans settlers."



An Easter tree in our neighborhood


Even the mini-golf has Easter trees!