Background Information
Austrians have two breakfasts in the morning. They have one when they get up, and another around ten o'clock. Later, there is a lunch which is heavier than the breakfasts. In the afternoon, there is often a snack which is about as big as a lunch in the U.S. Afterward, they have dinner which is heavy just like lunch. Sometimes they even have a late night snack after going to a party or a concert! Most Austrians are Roman Catholic, so they celebrate big holidays like Christmas with a big feast. Austrians only invite their close friends and relatives to their houses. They do because Austrian homes are supposed to be informal, so it is a place for casual gatherings.
In Austrian marriages, it is considered unlucky for a woman to marry a man whose last name starts with the same letter as hers. Another superstition is that it is unlucky for a lady to practice her new married name before the wedding. It is customary for the bridesmaids to wear clothes that are similar to the bride's in the wedding. The bridesmaids are supposed to act as decoys to confuse evil spirits in order to protect the bride. For flowers, it is bad luck for them to be white or red. Those colors represent blood and bandages.
For Christmas, it is customary to put up the decorations four Sundays before Christmas morning. Many Austrian families have decorations that are handmade. A lot of families also have handmade nativity scenes. Most of them are carved from wood and are passed down from generation to generation. Traditions say that the baby Jesus isn't put into the scene until Christmas Eve.
Person of Interest
Instead of Santa Claus, Austrians have three other people who come, and Kristkindl is the most important. He is a baby with wings that symbolizes Christ. He brings presents to kids and decorates their Christmas trees. The children get to see what Kristkindl brought when a bell rings after their meal.
Place of Interest
The Weiner Musikverein (Vienna Music Club) hosts the annual New Year’s concert “Neujahrskonzert” . The concert is the world’s most famous annual concert and has been going on for years. More than a billion people have the custom of watching and listening to the concert every year. It is performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Symbolic Object
Weiner Schnitzel is one of the most popular traditional dishes in Austria. It was supposedly first made in 1849. It is still very customary for people in Austria to make today as it was long ago. It is usually made of thin slices of veal that are breaded and fried. It is also often seen served with a lemon wedge or slice.
