Weiberfastnacht (Ladies Carnival) or Fat Thursday

The table is ready for the party!

It is Weiberfasching  today, roughly translated, the Ladies Carnival/Wives Carnival. But in German, it becomes Fettdonnerstag or Schmutziger Donnerstag (which mean Fat Thursday or Dirty Thursday).

Weiberfastnacht is the official start of the carnival season, a German festival that marks the last Thursday before Lent and that means, fasting would be near.

As tradition goes, the Wives Carnival is dedicated to eating. Why is that? I protest :-) Maybe because it's the ladies who are usually busy preparing the food? Or could it be because the ladies eat too much? Whatever, in the German regions where Fasching or Carnival are celebrated, people CELEBRATE! 

The ladies would be having their LADIES ONLY costume party. Meaning, most of those who plans to go already need to think about what to wear way, way before the party itself. You would be astound on how creative some of them are!

I think most of the cities would be having a party, and the places would be filled, mind you. In fact, most of the costumed-women would be lining up an hour before the gates would open. You know, you need the best seats in the house. Plus, you have to reserve seats for those late comers. As most of them would be coming in groups, wearing the same costumes, really wonderful to see!

The lasttime I attended the Weiberfastnacht party, I saw some men, but, take note, they were wearing the same costumes of the women's group. That was a riot!

And in the city where I used to live, the best part of the program would be the Men Ballet Dancers, they rock!

What would you expect during the Weiberfasching Party? Fun, fun, fun! There's dancing all night long. There would be line dances, polonaise dances, cowboy dances, chair dances, everything goes! It is something that I wanted to enjoy yearly, but... 

Anyway, aside from beer and wine, there would be an overwhelming array of sweets, cakes and other meals forbidden during Lent. The most popular national dish is the berliner, fist-sized donuts filled with marmalade and sprinkled with sugar, and faworki, French dough fingers served with lots of powdered sugar.

The center of this Weiberfastnacht festival would be Cologne or Dusseldorf where the airports issue right inside the airplane a travel warning to men passengers. Women armed with scissors are out to cut those neck ties, a traditional 'game'. And men would be then comforted with kisses afterwards.

Did I say I wanted to experience this fun-filled party yearly? Well, I celebrate the Weiberfastnacht with my girls and we party at home! 

I decorate, set-up the table, cook and bake, prepare some games and prizes, line-up the dance music and we party!!!

Meanwhile,Papa's necktie is waiting to be attacked!