The days are getting longer again, the blanket of snow is giving way to lush green meadows, and spring is knocking on the door. The region around Lake Chiemsee is now waiting for a lot of traditional events and typical Easter customs that invite you to consciously perceive the longer days. Enjoy the awakening of spring with the first walks, easy hikes to lower alpine pastures and bike tours in the mountain and lake landscape of the Chiemgau-Area.

Easter customs in the Chiemgau

At Easter there are all kinds of customs that lead through the Holy Days and public holidays. They are as colorful as the festival - colored eggs and some of them are just as rare to find. While the vast majority of people are familiar with the classic hunt for Easter nests, there are still traditions in Chiemgau from days long gone that are hardly known beyond its borders. Or who says something about the " Oascheibn"? Not you? Read for yourself!

"Palm donkey"

Palm Sunday symbolizes the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people triumphed and distributed palm branches along the way. This palm procession has been symbolically recreated by village priests since the 10th century, although the donkeys were less keen on it. The animals often stopped and did not move any further. Whoever is the last to get up on Palm Sunday today has exactly the same indecent behavior as the donkeys did back then and is dubbed the "palm donkey".

By the way, the late risers micht also regret it on other days of Holy Week: “Maundy Thursday louts”and “Good Friday rattles”. On Sundays, however, they are the sweet little "Easter lamb".

Easter fountain

The custom originally comes from the Franconian Jura. There has always been an extreme lack of water here. At that time there was no central water supply and wells were built in the valleys to store the water. The fountains have been decorated since around the beginning of the 20th century as a sign of gratitude for the elixir of life: water. The so-called Easter fountains are hung with brightly painted Easter eggs, flowers and paper ribbons. Often the decoration is also attached to the fountain in the form of a crown.

The (before) Easter time in the Chiemgau-Area is also characterized by culinary specialties. In some bakeries in the region, the traditional pretzels are offered between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday. Unlike the cult pastries that are particularly well-known in Bavaria, fasting pretzels are not covered with lye. They're just salted. With their few ingredients, they fit well into the time between carnival and Easter and are probably due to a monastic tradition of fasting.

Traditional Easter games

"Oascheibn" The perfect Easter game for families on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday: For the so-called "Oascheibn", "Oa-schiam"or simply "egg rolls" you need the following things: two rakes, boiled eggs and a patch of grass to play on . Use the handles of the rakes to form a ramp (you can place one end of the rake on a chair, for example). The first lets an egg roll down the ramp. A penny is then placed on top of the egg. The second player must now try to push the coin off the first egg by sending his egg down the ramp as well. If he succeeds, he gets to keep the dime.

"Oabecka" /"Oahiartn" Also a game for young and old: Two people each get an Easter egg. The aim of the game is to break the opponent's egg without damaging your own. You take turns hitting the tip of your own egg on the tip of the other. It is usually "played" on Easter Sunday at the breakfast table. The one whose egg is the only one that hasn't broken wins.

Easter

Easter customs in the Chiemgau

"Palm donkey"

Easter fountain

Traditional Easter games

Chiemgau G'schichten

Events

Pentecost around the Chiemsee

Rad- und Mountainbiketouren