On the Monday before Lent, Germans celebrate Rosenmontag. It’s the biggest parade during German carnival, and it’s often translated as Rose Monday (followed, of course, by Violet Tuesday). Lovely.  There are parades, and costumes, and adult beverages. And instead of the Mardi Gras beads of New Orleans, the good people of Germany throw caramels and tulips. I can get behind that.

In waybackland, former militias, in the aftermath of their battles, became carnival groups, so you see lots of militia costumes in the parades as well. And it’s adorable to see small children in button front pantaloons, and coats with tails and braid, and lace ruffled shirts carrying bouquets of flowers to give out along the parade route. I can get behind that, too.

But the Googleverse tells me that Rosenmontag actually comes from “roose” which means, in a German dialect, “to frolic”. That makes more sense. Frolic Monday. Heck yeah.

This Carnival may the celebrations be glorious, no matter what language you use to describe it.

Last Year:

Lent -2: Red Beans