{"id":7623,"date":"2016-07-30T20:14:43","date_gmt":"2016-07-30T20:14:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=7623"},"modified":"2017-12-08T13:50:11","modified_gmt":"2017-12-08T13:50:11","slug":"how-my-brother-became-an-old-sock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/how-my-brother-became-an-old-sock\/","title":{"rendered":"How My Brother Became an Old Sock"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few days ago, my brother turned 25. Socks were hung up everywhere to make it clear: He is now an\u00a0Alte Socke\u00a0<\/em>(“old sock”)!<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Alte Socke\u00a0<\/em>receives a\u00a0Sockenkranz\u00a0<\/em>(sock wreath), which is hung up outside the house, so everyone can see that a member of the household has turned 25. Old\u00a0Socken\u00a0<\/em>are filled with\u00a0Stroh <\/em>(straw) or something else like Altpapier\u00a0<\/em>(waste paper), and hung up on a line.\u00a0This\u00a0Sockenkranz\u00a0<\/em>stays for several weeks. Hanging up the\u00a0Kranz\u00a0<\/em>and taking it down are accompanied by parties, and drinking alcohol (read: beer) is an important part of that.\u00a0This tradition is widespread in\u00a0Niedersachsen\u00a0<\/em>(Lower Saxony) and\u00a0Nordrhein-Westfalen\u00a0<\/em>(North-Rhine Westphalia).<\/p>\n

Stroh 25<\/em><\/h2>\n

My brother got a\u00a0Sockenkranz<\/em>. Additionally, we also made him a 25 made of\u00a0Stroh<\/em>, decorated with even more\u00a0Socken<\/em>. An (embarrassing) picture of my brother cannot be missing!<\/p>\n

\"IMG<\/a>

My brother and his 25!<\/p><\/div>\n

We screwed two beams of wood together, fixed metal rods in the shape of a 2 and a 5 on them, and then bound\u00a0Stroh\u00a0<\/em>on them with wire. This whole process took us around 4-5 hours. During this exhausting task, my brother, as the\u00a0Alte Socke, <\/em>was\u00a0supposed to\u00a0bewirt\u00a0<\/em>(host, cater) the makers with refreshments. This just means a Kasten Bier <\/em>(crate of beer), usually.\u00a0But we wanted to surprise him, so that did not happen.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, the socks stand for the\u00a0Ehelosigkeit\u00a0<\/em>(celibacy) of the man at a “high age” (times have changed!). So in some regions, the\u00a0Sockenkranz\u00a0<\/em>tradition is omitted if the man is already married. But because it is fun, and a great reason to have a party, the tradition is mostly upheld anyway!<\/p>\n

A\u00a0Schachtelkranz\u00a0<\/em>for the girls<\/h2>\n

As you can see, I talked about my brother, and how he turned 25, and is now an old sock. Women, on the other hand, do not become\u00a0Alte Socken<\/em>, but\u00a0Alte Schachteln<\/em>\u00a0(“old boxes”). They receive a\u00a0Schachtelkranz<\/em>, made up of cigarette packets.<\/p>\n

Variations<\/h2>\n

Sometimes, the man is not given a\u00a0Sockenkranz<\/em>, but a\u00a0Flaschenkranz<\/em>, in case he is quite the drinker.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Schaltjahren\u00a0<\/em>(leap years), the roles are reversed, and girls receive a\u00a0Sockenkranz<\/em>, and boys receive a\u00a0Schachtelkranz<\/em>. I know what you’re thinking:\u00a0it is 2016! A leap year! Your brother should have received a\u00a0<\/em>Schachtelkranz, then!\u00a0<\/em>And you are right. But we just didn’t have that many cigarette packets!<\/p>\n

Additionally, there are many ways to celebrate. Most of them involve a lot of drinking for the birthday kid! For example, before the\u00a0Kranz\u00a0<\/em>is hung up, the\u00a0Alte Socke\u00a0<\/em>or\u00a0Alte Schachtel\u00a0<\/em>is supposed to guess the length of the\u00a0Kranz\u00a0<\/em>in\u00a0Bierflaschen<\/em> (beer bottles)\u00a0as a measuring unit. The difference betweent he actual length and the estimated length needs to be drunk!<\/p>\n

Are there any such crazy birthday traditions where you are from? <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

A few days ago, my brother turned 25. Socks were hung up everywhere to make it clear: He is now an\u00a0Alte Socke\u00a0(“old sock”)! The\u00a0Alte Socke\u00a0receives a\u00a0Sockenkranz\u00a0(sock wreath), which is hung up outside the house, so everyone can see that a member of the household has turned 25. Old\u00a0Socken\u00a0are filled with\u00a0Stroh (straw) or something else like…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":110,"featured_media":7624,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,8,913],"tags":[1940,457010,3339,358430],"class_list":["post-7623","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-language","category-traditions","tag-birthdays","tag-geburtstag","tag-party","tag-traditions-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t