Father's Day

I work for a company with offices around the world, so I frequently collaborate with co-workers located in other countries. I was working on a project with my counterpart in Germany last year. It was the week prior to Father’s Day. Knowing he had children, I asked him if they celebrated Father’s Day in his country. He replied that there was indeed a Father’s Day in Germany; however it was not at all like Father’s Day in the US.

Father’s Day over there is in May and it is anything but a family-oriented celebration. While women stay home with the kids, men (all men – parent or not) take to the streets for a country-wide pub crawl. It is reportedly a day of drunken debauchery, after which participants stagger home, completely wasted, at some ungodly hour.

So guys, don’t worry if you down one too many beers at that family BBQ this Father’s Day. If the wife gets on your case about your inebriated condition, just tell her you’re honoring your German heritage. (or her German heritage…or SOMEONE’S German heritage!)