Tradition & culture from the Zillertal:
Palm bush, the charming tradition on Palm Sunday – by Gletscher Aktiv Hotel Kössler in Hintertux
Let’s immerse ourselves in the tradition of Palm Sunday together today. This enjoys a very special status with us in the Zillertal – and of course also in our Gletscher Aktiv Hotel Kössler in Hintertux / Tux. It not only symbolizes the start of Holy Week and has been a firmly established ritual in Tyrolean culture since the 4th century, but is also celebrated as a special holiday in many families in the Zillertal. The centerpiece is the palm bush, an artfully bound bouquet of palm kittens and boxwood branches, which is lovingly decorated with colorful ribbons and sweet pretzels the day before.
In this article, we’ll tell you how to tie a palm bush yourself and celebrate this popular Tyrolean tradition at home. Of course, the homemade palm pretzels should not be missing, which give the day a particularly sweet touch and ensure the absolute highlight after the blessing in the church: the joint devouring of the sweet pretzels (often with afternoon coffee).
The tradition of Palm Sunday:
On Palm Sunday, family and friends come together in Hintertux – Tux for the traditional Palm Sunday procession (whoever leaves the bed last receives the title “Palm Donkey”). When the processions begin, families liven up the streets and church squares of the Zillertal, with the traditional palm bush being the heart of the celebrations.
The girls proudly carry their prettily decorated palm bushes, while the boys raise their palm slats (palm bush attached to a long pole) to the sky. In places like Hintertux, this spectacle becomes a competition in which the longest palm slat is contested. Some of these slats reach impressive lengths of up to 10 meters. The Palm Sunday procession is therefore an imposing spectacle that you should not miss!
How to tie a Tyrolean palm bush:
We at the Gletscher Aktiv Hotel Kössler in Hintertux / Tux will tell you how to tie your own palm bush and immerse yourself in the charming Tyrolean culture.
Materials for your palm bush:
For the palm bush, it is best to use palm kittens, which you can either get in your favorite flower market or in your garden (not in the open, as the willow is protected). When cutting in the garden: Make sure that you do not use too many of the branches of your willow, as they are the first important source of food for bees after the winter. You should also cut the kittens only after flowering so as not to affect the bees.
Add branches of boxwood to the palm kittens to give your palm bush a full, green appearance. You will also need colorful fabric ribbons, crepe paper, twine and scissors.
Instructions for tying the palm bush:
- Tie the palm kitten branches together with twine.
- Arrange the boxwood branches around the palm kittens and also attach them with twine.
- Wrap crepe paper around the lower 10 – 15 cm of the bouquet and hide the end in the wrap so that everything holds well.
- Decorate the bouquet with colorful ribbons and hang a homemade pretzel on some branches.
- In Tyrol, these artistic palm bushes are attached to long wooden sticks, which are also wrapped with colorful ribbons. On Palm Sunday, a cheerful competition breaks out among the children for the longest palm pole.
Recipe for palm pretzels:
Here is a traditional palm pretzel recipe from the kitchen of our Gletscher Aktiv Hotel in Hintertux – Tux. For 16 pretzels you will need:
1. Palm pretzel – Ingredients:
- 300 g smooth flour
- 1 packet of dry yeast
- 125 ml lukewarm milk
- 75 g soft butter or Rama
- 50 g sugar or birch sugar
- A little vanillin and 1 pinch of salt
2. Palm pretzel – Preparation:
- Mix all ingredients to a smooth dough.
- Form 16 balls and roll each into a long sausage.
- Form small pretzels from them and place them on a baking sheet.
- Brush the pretzels with egg and bake at 180 °C for 15 minutes until golden brown.
After the Palm Sunday Mass, enjoy the fresh pretzels with a cozy cup of tea. Have fun baking and a blessed get-together!
The week after Palm Sunday:
Adventurous Easter egg hunt on the Hintertux Glacier!
Here’s a special Easter tip for little explorers:
The traditional Easter egg hunt takes place on the Hintertux Glacier the whole week after Palm Sunday!
For this, the Easter Bunny has planned a spectacular game of hide-and-seek for you: Huge, colorfully painted Easter eggs are waiting to be discovered by you all over the ski area. Solve the riddle on each Easter egg and look forward to a sweet surprise that awaits all little detectives at the valley station. An unforgettable Easter adventure for the whole family!
We wish you lots of fun crafting and baking and send you the warmest greetings from the Gletscher Aktiv Hotel Kössler in Hintertux – Tux in the Zillertal.
For more inspiration, visit the Gletscher Aktiv Hotel Blog on the website of Hotel Kössler in Hintertux – Tux:
Kössler Hotel Blog.
Source:
About the Author: Karina Mader
