Fortunately, Maundy Thursday was not made a public holiday in Germany in 2021. Many employees were looking forward to an extra day off, which would have posed an enormous logistical challenge. Nevertheless, Maundy Thursday has been a public holiday in many of our neighboring countries for many years – and Easter is celebrated much more extensively there. The time around Easter often promises to bring the first signs of spring. Even if we have to forgo the idea of ​​a communal Easter bonfire again this year, there will certainly be a barbecue or two being fired up in one garden or another, alongside the kids' Easter egg hunt. While we tend to observe Easter in a more contemplative manner, our immediate neighbors usually really let loose.

This is how our Russian neighbors celebrate Easter

The Russian Orthodox Easter celebration is a little different from the German one: there's no Easter bunny, but Easter eggs are still dyed. No one actually searches for them, though, because they're lovingly painted and given directly to friends and relatives. On Easter Sunday, the traditional Easter cake, Kulich, is eaten. Various spices and raisins give it a unique flavor. Just like the eggs, the cake is blessed in church during the Easter Vigil from Saturday to Sunday. This Easter service is the most important custom. The preceding 40-day fast is taken very seriously in Russia and is meant to purify the soul. Those fasting are supposed to banish evil thoughts, refrain from swearing, and abstain from cravings. On Easter Sunday, however, there's plenty of eating, drinking, and celebrating – usually with family. Since the Orthodox Easter celebration follows the Julian calendar, it won't be celebrated there for another month this year. So let's take a look at what's happening in Central Europe in the meantime.

In Poland, too, Easter is a celebration for the whole family

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent in Poland, culminating on Good Friday. On this day, no meat is consumed anywhere in Poland. However, it's not a public holiday like in some other countries, so truck transport isn't affected. On Saturday evening, as tradition dictates, Poles attend church with their families. On Easter Sunday, the end of Lent is celebrated with a hearty family breakfast. There's cooking, baking, celebrating, and drinking – a large ham is as traditional as toasting with Easter eggs, which is said to bring good luck. Śmingus Dingus is another highlight of the Polish Easter celebrations – on Easter Monday, Polish women literally don't stay dry. The tradition involves dousing each other – women, in particular, should be on their guard when someone comes running with a bucket full of water. Children also run through the streets and courtyards with loaded water pistols. Brilliant!

And this is what happens at Easter in Scandinavia

Don't worry, our neighbors to the north know how it's done too. In Sweden, for example, Easter traditionally heralds the arrival of the warm, bright season. Many weeks before Easter, children sow grass on a tray, which is then decorated with colorful ornaments during the holidays. Brightly colored chicken eggs are also considered Easter decorations, as are blossoming birch branches. As early as Maundy Thursday, young children dress up as Easter witches, known as Påskkärringar: wearing old clothes, a headscarf, and painted faces, they go from door to door with brooms and pots, collecting sweets. The inhabitants of Norway still miss winter at this time and usually head to the mountains for skiing over the holidays. Those who don't spend the last days of the ski season relaxing in their cabin use the time to go hiking, focusing on nature and slowing down. But things get a bit more mysterious during Easter: New crime novels are released in Norway to coincide with the holidays, crime dramas are shown on television, and even milk cartons feature short stories. Furthermore, Danes enjoy "Påskebryg," the strong Easter beer, during their Easter meal. This allows them to indulge in a typically Danish tradition, the "Gækkebrev" (fool's letter). Small Easter poems are sent anonymously – the recipient has to figure out who wrote them. If you unmask the sender, you receive an Easter egg; if not, you have to give one to the writer.

Easter transport? Even the holidays keep trucks at rest

During the Easter holidays, many things across Europe slow down – including logistics. When factories aren't producing and everyday shops are closed, the roads are noticeably quieter. The short weeks leading up to holidays always present a logistical challenge, as people typically shop more than usual in the run-up to the holidays. For dispatchers, freight forwarders, and truck drivers, this means more coordination in significantly less time. For transports to Scandinavia, the local holidays must also be taken into account, while transports to Eastern Europe are planned quite differently, as Orthodox Easter follows the Julian calendar. OCS Spedition will therefore keep you informed about the holiday situation in a timely manner, ensuring that nothing hinders your transport to Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.

Fortunately, Maundy Thursday was not made a public holiday in Germany in 2021. Many employees were looking forward to an extra day off, which would have posed an enormous logistical challenge. Nevertheless, Maundy Thursday has been a public holiday in many of our neighboring countries for many years – and Easter is celebrated much more extensively there.

The time around Easter often promises to bring the first signs of spring. Even if we have to forgo the idea of ​​a communal Easter bonfire again this year, there will certainly be a barbecue or two being fired up in one garden or another, alongside the kids' Easter egg hunt. While we tend to observe Easter in a more contemplative manner, our immediate neighbors usually really let loose.

This is how our Russian neighbors celebrate Easter

The Russian Orthodox Easter celebration is a little different from the German one: there's no Easter bunny, but Easter eggs are still dyed. No one actually searches for them, though, because they're lovingly painted and given directly to friends and relatives. On Easter Sunday, the traditional Easter cake, Kulich, is eaten. Various spices and raisins give it a unique flavor. Just like the eggs, the cake is blessed in church during the Easter Vigil from Saturday to Sunday.

The most important custom is precisely this Easter service. The preceding 40-day Lenten fast is taken very seriously in Russia and is meant to purify the soul. Those fasting are supposed to banish evil thoughts, refrain from cursing, and abstain from cravings. On Easter Sunday, however, there is plenty of feasting, drinking, and celebrating – usually with family. Since Orthodox Easter is based on the Julian calendar, it will be celebrated there in a month this year. Therefore, let's take a look at what's happening in Central Europe in the meantime.

In Poland, too, Easter is a celebration for the whole family

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent in Poland, culminating on Good Friday. On this day, no meat is consumed anywhere in Poland. However, it is not a public holiday like in some other countries, so truck transport is not affected. On Saturday evening, as tradition dictates, Poles attend church with their families. On Easter Sunday, the end of Lent is celebrated with a large family breakfast. There is cooking, baking, celebrating, and drinking – a large ham is as traditional as toasting with Easter eggs, which is believed to bring good luck.

Śmingus Dingus is also the highlight of the Polish Easter celebrations – on Easter Monday, Polish women literally don't stay dry. The tradition involves dousing each other – especially as a woman, you should always be on your guard when someone comes running up with a whole bucket. Children also run through the streets and courtyards with loaded water pistols. Brilliant!

And this is what happens at Easter in Scandinavia

Don't worry, our neighbors to the north know how it's done too. In Sweden, for example, Easter traditionally heralds the arrival of the warm, bright season. Many weeks before Easter, children sow grass on a tray, which is then decorated with colorful ornaments for the holidays. Brightly colored chicken eggs are also considered Easter decorations, as are blossoming birch branches. As early as Maundy Thursday, young children dress up as Easter witches, known as Påskkärringar: wearing old clothes, a headscarf, and painted faces, they go from door to door with brooms and pots, collecting sweets.

The inhabitants of Norway still miss winter at this time of year and usually head to the mountains for skiing over the holidays. Those who aren't enjoying the end of the ski season in their cabin ("hytte") use the time for hiking ("gå på tur"), focusing on nature and slowing down. But things get a bit more intriguing during Easter: New crime novels are released in Norway to coincide with the holidays, crime dramas are shown on television, and even short crime stories are printed on milk cartons.

Furthermore, Danes enjoy drinking "Påskebryg," a strong Easter beer, during their Easter meal. This allows them to indulge in a typically Danish tradition: the "Gækkebrev" (fool's letter). Small Easter poems are anonymously sent to one another, and the recipient must then try to guess who wrote them. If you correctly identify the sender, you receive an Easter egg; if not, you must give one to the writer.

Easter transport? Even the holidays keep trucks at rest

During the Easter holidays, many things across Europe operate at a reduced capacity – including logistics. When factories aren't producing and everyday shops are closed, the roads are noticeably quieter. The short weeks leading up to holidays always present a logistical challenge, as people typically shop more than usual in the run-up to the holidays. For dispatchers, freight forwarders, and truck drivers, this means more coordination in significantly less time.

For shipments to Scandinavia, the local holidays must be taken into account. Shipments to Eastern Europe, on the other hand, are planned quite differently, as Orthodox Easter follows the Julian calendar. OCS Spedition will therefore always inform you promptly about the holiday schedule to ensure that nothing hinders your transport to Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.

Fortunately, Maundy Thursday was not made a public holiday in Germany in 2021. Many employees were looking forward to an extra day off, which would have posed an enormous logistical challenge. Nevertheless, Maundy Thursday has been a public holiday in many of our neighboring countries for many years – and Easter is celebrated much more extensively there.

The time around Easter often promises to bring the first signs of spring. Even if we have to forgo the idea of ​​a communal Easter bonfire again this year, there will certainly be a barbecue or two being fired up in one garden or another, alongside the kids' Easter egg hunt. While we tend to observe Easter in a more contemplative manner, our immediate neighbors usually really let loose.

This is how our Russian neighbors celebrate Easter

The Russian Orthodox Easter celebration is a little different from the German one: there's no Easter bunny, but Easter eggs are still dyed. No one actually searches for them, though, because they're lovingly painted and given directly to friends and relatives. On Easter Sunday, the traditional Easter cake, Kulich, is eaten. Various spices and raisins give it a unique flavor. Just like the eggs, the cake is blessed in church during the Easter Vigil from Saturday to Sunday.

The most important custom is precisely this Easter service. The preceding 40-day Lenten fast is taken very seriously in Russia and is meant to purify the soul. Those fasting are supposed to banish evil thoughts, refrain from cursing, and abstain from cravings. On Easter Sunday, however, there is plenty of feasting, drinking, and celebrating – usually with family. Since Orthodox Easter is based on the Julian calendar, it will be celebrated there in a month this year. Therefore, let's take a look at what's happening in Central Europe in the meantime.

In Poland, too, Easter is a celebration for the whole family

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent in Poland, culminating on Good Friday. On this day, no meat is consumed anywhere in Poland. However, it is not a public holiday like in some other countries, so truck transport is not affected. On Saturday evening, as tradition dictates, Poles attend church with their families. On Easter Sunday, the end of Lent is celebrated with a large family breakfast. There is cooking, baking, celebrating, and drinking – a large ham is as traditional as toasting with Easter eggs, which is believed to bring good luck.

Śmingus Dingus is also the highlight of the Polish Easter celebrations – on Easter Monday, Polish women literally don't stay dry. The tradition involves dousing each other – especially as a woman, you should always be on your guard when someone comes running up with a whole bucket. Children also run through the streets and courtyards with loaded water pistols. Brilliant!

And this is what happens at Easter in Scandinavia

Don't worry, our neighbors to the north know how it's done too. In Sweden, for example, Easter traditionally heralds the arrival of the warm, bright season. Many weeks before Easter, children sow grass on a tray, which is then decorated with colorful ornaments for the holidays. Brightly colored chicken eggs are also considered Easter decorations, as are blossoming birch branches. As early as Maundy Thursday, young children dress up as Easter witches, known as Påskkärringar: wearing old clothes, a headscarf, and painted faces, they go from door to door with brooms and pots, collecting sweets.

The inhabitants of Norway still miss winter at this time of year and usually head to the mountains for skiing over the holidays. Those who aren't enjoying the end of the ski season in their cabin ("hytte") use the time for hiking ("gå på tur"), focusing on nature and slowing down. But things get a bit more intriguing during Easter: New crime novels are released in Norway to coincide with the holidays, crime dramas are shown on television, and even short crime stories are printed on milk cartons.

Furthermore, Danes enjoy drinking "Påskebryg," a strong Easter beer, during their Easter meal. This allows them to indulge in a typically Danish tradition: the "Gækkebrev" (fool's letter). Small Easter poems are anonymously sent to one another, and the recipient must then try to guess who wrote them. If you correctly identify the sender, you receive an Easter egg; if not, you must give one to the writer.

Easter transport? Even the holidays keep trucks at rest

During the Easter holidays, many things across Europe operate at a reduced capacity – including logistics. When factories aren't producing and everyday shops are closed, the roads are noticeably quieter. The short weeks leading up to holidays always present a logistical challenge, as people typically shop more than usual in the run-up to the holidays. For dispatchers, freight forwarders, and truck drivers, this means more coordination in significantly less time.

For shipments to Scandinavia, the local holidays must be taken into account. Shipments to Eastern Europe, on the other hand, are planned quite differently, as Orthodox Easter follows the Julian calendar. OCS Spedition will therefore always inform you promptly about the holiday schedule to ensure that nothing hinders your transport to Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.

Fortunately, Maundy Thursday was not made a public holiday in Germany in 2021. Many employees were looking forward to an extra day off, which would have posed an enormous logistical challenge. Nevertheless, Maundy Thursday has been a public holiday in many of our neighboring countries for many years – and Easter is celebrated much more extensively there.

The time around Easter often promises to bring the first signs of spring. Even if we have to forgo the idea of ​​a communal Easter bonfire again this year, there will certainly be a barbecue or two being fired up in one garden or another, alongside the kids' Easter egg hunt. While we tend to observe Easter in a more contemplative manner, our immediate neighbors usually really let loose.

This is how our Russian neighbors celebrate Easter

The Russian Orthodox Easter celebration is a little different from the German one: there's no Easter bunny, but Easter eggs are still dyed. No one actually searches for them, though, because they're lovingly painted and given directly to friends and relatives. On Easter Sunday, the traditional Easter cake, Kulich, is eaten. Various spices and raisins give it a unique flavor. Just like the eggs, the cake is blessed in church during the Easter Vigil from Saturday to Sunday.

The most important custom is precisely this Easter service. The preceding 40-day Lenten fast is taken very seriously in Russia and is meant to purify the soul. Those fasting are supposed to banish evil thoughts, refrain from cursing, and abstain from cravings. On Easter Sunday, however, there is plenty of feasting, drinking, and celebrating – usually with family. Since Orthodox Easter is based on the Julian calendar, it will be celebrated there in a month this year. Therefore, let's take a look at what's happening in Central Europe in the meantime.

In Poland, too, Easter is a celebration for the whole family

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent in Poland, culminating on Good Friday. On this day, no meat is consumed anywhere in Poland. However, it is not a public holiday like in some other countries, so truck transport is not affected. On Saturday evening, as tradition dictates, Poles attend church with their families. On Easter Sunday, the end of Lent is celebrated with a large family breakfast. There is cooking, baking, celebrating, and drinking – a large ham is as traditional as toasting with Easter eggs, which is believed to bring good luck.

Śmingus Dingus is also the highlight of the Polish Easter celebrations – on Easter Monday, Polish women literally don't stay dry. The tradition involves dousing each other – especially as a woman, you should always be on your guard when someone comes running up with a whole bucket. Children also run through the streets and courtyards with loaded water pistols. Brilliant!

And this is what happens at Easter in Scandinavia

Don't worry, our neighbors to the north know how it's done too. In Sweden, for example, Easter traditionally heralds the arrival of the warm, bright season. Many weeks before Easter, children sow grass on a tray, which is then decorated with colorful ornaments for the holidays. Brightly colored chicken eggs are also considered Easter decorations, as are blossoming birch branches. As early as Maundy Thursday, young children dress up as Easter witches, known as Påskkärringar: wearing old clothes, a headscarf, and painted faces, they go from door to door with brooms and pots, collecting sweets.

The inhabitants of Norway still miss winter at this time of year and usually head to the mountains for skiing over the holidays. Those who aren't enjoying the end of the ski season in their cabin ("hytte") use the time for hiking ("gå på tur"), focusing on nature and slowing down. But things get a bit more intriguing during Easter: New crime novels are released in Norway to coincide with the holidays, crime dramas are shown on television, and even short crime stories are printed on milk cartons.

Furthermore, Danes enjoy drinking "Påskebryg," a strong Easter beer, during their Easter meal. This allows them to indulge in a typically Danish tradition: the "Gækkebrev" (fool's letter). Small Easter poems are anonymously sent to one another, and the recipient must then try to guess who wrote them. If you correctly identify the sender, you receive an Easter egg; if not, you must give one to the writer.

Easter transport? Even the holidays keep trucks at rest

During the Easter holidays, many things across Europe operate at a reduced capacity – including logistics. When factories aren't producing and everyday shops are closed, the roads are noticeably quieter. The short weeks leading up to holidays always present a logistical challenge, as people typically shop more than usual in the run-up to the holidays. For dispatchers, freight forwarders, and truck drivers, this means more coordination in significantly less time.

For shipments to Scandinavia, the local holidays must be taken into account. Shipments to Eastern Europe, on the other hand, are planned quite differently, as Orthodox Easter follows the Julian calendar. OCS Spedition will therefore always inform you promptly about the holiday schedule to ensure that nothing hinders your transport to Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.