In the alpine regions of Austria in late fall, the annual cattle procession, or Almatrieb, occurs. Cattle are festively decorated with colorful bells, ribbon, and mirrors and walked through town, where they are greeted by celebration and festivities.
"Almabtrieb - Cattle Procession." Almabtrieb - Cattle Procession. Austria, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
"Almabtrieb Austria - World Love Flowers." World Love Flowers. World Love Flowers, 2016. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
"Almabtrieb - Cattle Procession." Almabtrieb - Cattle Procession. Austria, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
"Almabtrieb Austria - World Love Flowers." World Love Flowers. World Love Flowers, 2016. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
In the 17th century, printing and dyeing cloth with indigo revolutionized the textile industry of Austria, but nowadays, mostly only indigenous people still utilize this traditional natural dye. To obtain the deep blue color, leaves of the tropical Indigo bush are dissolved with water and lime.
"Indigo Printing in Burgenland, Austria." Indigo Printing in Burgenland, Austria. Austria, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
"Indigo Printing in Burgenland, Austria." Indigo Printing in Burgenland, Austria. Austria, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
In Austria, New Year’s celebrations start at 2 PM on December 31 and continue for 12 consecutive hours until 2 AM on January 1. Austrians call this Sylvesterpfad, meaning “New Year’s path.”
"New Year's Celebrations in Austria." New Year's Celebrations in Austria. Austria, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
"New Year's Celebrations in Austria." New Year's Celebrations in Austria. Austria, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
Saint Devote Day is a national holiday in Monaco celebrated to pay respects to Saint Devote, a wrongly persecuted Christian who died as a martyr for her faith. Her corpse was placed in a small boat with a pyre that ran aground and was burned by pious fishermen who saw a criminal robbing the pyre and believed they needed to burn it to respect Saint Devote’s spirit; this is where the tradition of burning a boat on the holiday comes from.
"Traditions « Consulate General of Monaco." Consulate General of Monaco RSS. Monaco Consulate, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Alexandra. "Tag: Sainte-Devote Festival in Monaco." The Royal Correspondent. The Royal Correspondent, 27 Jan. 2011. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Traditions « Consulate General of Monaco." Consulate General of Monaco RSS. Monaco Consulate, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Alexandra. "Tag: Sainte-Devote Festival in Monaco." The Royal Correspondent. The Royal Correspondent, 27 Jan. 2011. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Carnival is celebrated annually in Monaco. The tradition of doing so dates back to the fifteenth century as a way to celebrate before giving up merriment during the austere period of Lent.
"Events on the Côte D'Azur." → LUXURY HOTEL EZE MONACO - 5-STAR HOTEL COTE AZUR - HOTEL CHÂTEAU DE LA CHÈVRE D'OR. La Chevre D' Or, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Events on the Côte D'Azur." → LUXURY HOTEL EZE MONACO - 5-STAR HOTEL COTE AZUR - HOTEL CHÂTEAU DE LA CHÈVRE D'OR. La Chevre D' Or, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
The Monégasque National Holiday is an annual holiday in Monaco that celebrates nationalism and dates back to the ruling of Prince Charles the Third. During the holiday, towns are decorated with the red and white colors of the country’s flag, and a massive and elaborate fireworks display takes place at Port Hercule.
"Fete Nationale De Monaco | SeeMonaco.com." SeeMonaco.com. SEETHEWORLD, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Fete Nationale De Monaco | SeeMonaco.com." SeeMonaco.com. SEETHEWORLD, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
In Switzerland, the oldest known example of folk music from the Alps dates back to as early as 1545, and the music is almost always accompanied by fast-paced dancing with colorful costumes and intricate footwork. It involves a heavy use of the Alphorn, an instrument originally utilized by alpine herdsmen to signal to each other and later used by yodeling choirs.
"Customs and Traditions." MySwitzerland.com. My Switzerland, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Customs and Traditions." MySwitzerland.com. My Switzerland, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Switzerland is famous for its cheese, especially Alp cheese, which is only produced in the summer from cows, goats, or sheep and is considered a delicacy. It is made using rennet, a substance from cows’ stomachs, and the traditional process dates back to the 1400s.
Wrestling is a major sport in Switzerland, where it originated as a way for herdsman to show their strength and masculinity. In the country, the sport is known as Schwingen and the champions of the sport are called Bösen, literally meaning, “wicked ones.”
One important cultural achievement of the Netherlands is its surplus of famous artists. Rembrandt and Vincent Van Gogh are two examples of famous Dutch painters who gained inspiration from the natural beauty of the land; above is Van Gogh’s rendering of Flower Beds in Holland.
"Dutch Culture." Dutch Culture - Holland - Utrecht Summer School 2017 - The Netherlands. Universiteit Utrecht, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Pioch, Nicolas. "Gogh, Vincent Van: Fields and Cypresses." WebMuseum: Gogh, Vincent Van: Fields and Cypresses. N.p., 19 Aug. 2002. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Dutch Culture." Dutch Culture - Holland - Utrecht Summer School 2017 - The Netherlands. Universiteit Utrecht, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Pioch, Nicolas. "Gogh, Vincent Van: Fields and Cypresses." WebMuseum: Gogh, Vincent Van: Fields and Cypresses. N.p., 19 Aug. 2002. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
In terms of religion, Holland is extremely diverse, and the land has many churches (such as the one in Amsterdam pictured above), mosques, synagogues, and temples. While Christianity may take up a sizeable amount of the population and date back as the earliest religion in the region, there are many Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and other populations, and as much as 44% of Dutch people identify as having no religion.
"Netherlands." Netherlands Travel Photos — Hey Brian? N.p., 09 May 2016. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
In the Netherlands, Ascension Day is celebrated 40 days after Easter. Before the major festivities on Ascension Day, it is believed to bring good luck if one performs a tradition known as dauwtrappen, which literally translates to “kicking the dew”, or taking a walk or bike ride outside before dawn.
"Dutch Culture: Festivities, Traditions, Holidays - Enschede Innovates!" Enschede Innovates. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Eversole, Mary. "Ascension Day in Alkmaar Netherlands." Pinterest. N.p., 2015. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Dutch Culture: Festivities, Traditions, Holidays - Enschede Innovates!" Enschede Innovates. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Eversole, Mary. "Ascension Day in Alkmaar Netherlands." Pinterest. N.p., 2015. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Carnival is a popular cultural festival in Luxembourg, where masked balls, children’s parades, and costumed cavalcades occur. At the end of Carnival, the Stréimännchen, or straw man, is set afire and burned to mark the end of winter.
"Fuesend (February and March)." Luxembourg. Grand Duche De Luxembourg, 28 Apr. 2015. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Remich "Stréifrächen" : Woman Paraded, Set Alight & Thrown into River... Made of Straw!" Wort.lu. N.p., 11 Feb. 2016. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Fuesend (February and March)." Luxembourg. Grand Duche De Luxembourg, 28 Apr. 2015. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Remich "Stréifrächen" : Woman Paraded, Set Alight & Thrown into River... Made of Straw!" Wort.lu. N.p., 11 Feb. 2016. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Every October in Luxembourg, a traditional grape festival is held to give thanks for a good harvest. During the festival, a grape queen is elected and marched through town with a parade while handing out wine, and some towns, such as Schwebsange, even boast their harvests by filling the town fountain with wine instead of water.
"September Is the Wine Month." Wort.lu. N.p., 04 Sept. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"September Is the Wine Month." Wort.lu. N.p., 04 Sept. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Celebrated every May in Luxembourg, Geenzefest honors a shrub called the genista that blooms around the festival time and covers the land with yellow flowers. A large parade, complete with music and folk dances, and the crowning of the Broom Queen are major events that occur during the festival, along with open-air concerts and shows.
In Belgium, beer is an extremely common beverage drunk at almost every meal of the day, as crafting beer has been a tradition of the region since the Middle Ages. It is commonly served with street food such as French fries and mayonnaise, a very popular item in the country.
Landed, S.L. Just. "Belgian Cultural Clichés." Just Landed. N.p., 2015. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Hot Dogs, Frites and Sauces, and Belgian Beer in the Bier Garden. - Picture of Manneken Frites, Arvada - TripAdvisor." TripAdvisor. Manneken Frites, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Landed, S.L. Just. "Belgian Cultural Clichés." Just Landed. N.p., 2015. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Hot Dogs, Frites and Sauces, and Belgian Beer in the Bier Garden. - Picture of Manneken Frites, Arvada - TripAdvisor." TripAdvisor. Manneken Frites, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Bal folk is the form of folk dance popular in Belgium and surrounding areas. It includes dances such as gavotte, polska, scottische, and mazurka, and the music is traditionally played with accordions, fiddles, and bagpipes.
"About." Balfolkbristol. Balfolk Bristol, 2016. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"An Evening with Folklore and Folk Dance Group - Bal Popular Val Badia." An Evening with Folklore and Folk Dance Group - Bal Popular. Kronplatz, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"About." Balfolkbristol. Balfolk Bristol, 2016. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"An Evening with Folklore and Folk Dance Group - Bal Popular Val Badia." An Evening with Folklore and Folk Dance Group - Bal Popular. Kronplatz, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
On July 14, the French celebrate Bastille Day to commemorate the French Revolution when, in 1789, farmers and middle class workers protested at the Bastille, a prison, for equal lifestyles as the nobility and sparked a revolution. Today, Bastille Day is one of the largest celebratory festivals in France.
Sim, David. "Bastille Day 2015: Anti-terrorist Forces Join Military Parade in Paris in Show of Strength [Photos]." International Business Times UK. IBT, 14 July 2015. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Sim, David. "Bastille Day 2015: Anti-terrorist Forces Join Military Parade in Paris in Show of Strength [Photos]." International Business Times UK. IBT, 14 July 2015. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
The French celebrate the Epiphany with various traditions. One of the most popular is the hiding of a tiny baby Jesus doll inside a pastry that allows the person who finds the doll to wear a crown and be king or queen of the family for the day.
Mazzon, Lisa, and Cristiana Doni. "Hotelsclick.com - The Blog." Hotelsclick.com - The Blog. N.p., 31 Dec. 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
Mazzon, Lisa, and Cristiana Doni. "Hotelsclick.com - The Blog." Hotelsclick.com - The Blog. N.p., 31 Dec. 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
In Liechtenstein, many residents began crafting their own wine as an extra source of income, with most learning the process through generations of family recipes being passed down. The country has 100 winemakers, with four of them being full-time wine crafters.
"Liechtenstein: The Strange and Beautiful." Adventurous Kate. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.
"Liechtenstein: The Strange and Beautiful." Adventurous Kate. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.