Happy Vatertag

Today is a holiday in Germany. It is Ascension Thursday, known in German as Christi Himmelfahrt (remember how you used to whisper about her in high school?). But this holiday has a double identity. It is also Vatertag, Fathers' Day in Germany. Mothers' Day was Sunday, and it's celebrated here much like it is in the U.S. -  a meal with the family, flowers and gifts for mom, etc. But Fathers' Day is different. Instead of hanging out with the family, dad leaves the wife and kids at home and goes out drinking with the other dads. They walk around with a wagon full of booze, called the Bollerwagen ("Sorry son, you can't play with the wagon today. Daddy needs it to carry his beer"). There are stops for bratwurst (of course) along the way, and maybe a bonfire or some hanging out in a park. When the wagon is empty, the dads head to the bars. This makes sense in Germany, because it's ok to drink on the street, or on a train, out of a wagon, or pretty much wherever you like. In the U.S. you can carry a concealed weapon, but you can't drink beer on the sidewalk.

I am not a dad, nor will I ever be, but this sounds like a great concept to me. Appreciate dad by giving him a break and letting him have some male bonding time. If he makes a fool of himself, mom does not have to be there to know about it, or to drag him home. The two Germans I have most recently talked to about this celebration are my German teacher, Holger, and my conversation partner, Helga. Holger (who is, unlike me, a dad) thinks it's great and even wrote the word Bollerwagen on the chalkboard so we would learn it. Helga (who is a grandma) disapproves entirely and thinks it's just a terrible custom. 

Will dads be in church today for Ascension Thursday? A few of them will, probably. Some will stay home, and others will take little Klaus's wagon, fill it with beer, and go out with the boys.