Bremen

Guide for dating in Bremen helps you to meet the best girls. This dating guide gives you tips how to date German women. You will learn rules where and how to flirt with local German girls. We advise how to move from casual dating to the relationship and find the real love. We also tell the best dating sites in Bremen. In this article below you will find more information where to meet and date girls in Bremen, Germany.

Hot girls of Bremen at the NFF club


Girls in Bremen:

  • Looks of girls: 3.5 / 5
  • Attitude of girls: 3 / 5
  • Loyalty of girls: 3.5 / 5
  • Education level of girls: 4.5 / 5

Dating in Bremen:

  • Chance of arranging dates: 3.5 / 5
  • Casual dating culture: 3 / 5
  • Online dating popularity: 3.5 / 5

Sex in Bremen:

  • Women's sexual activity: 4 / 5
  • One-night stands: 3.5 / 5

More about Bremen:

  • Nightlife in general: 4 / 5
  • Locals' English level: 3 / 5
  • Moving around the city: 4 / 5
  • Budget per day: US$100 - $400
  • Accommodation: US$40 - $250

Dating

Bremen is the capital of the German federal state with the same name. With around 570,000 inhabitants, the Bremen is the 11th largest city of Germany as well as the second-largest city in Northern Germany after Hamburg. It's known for its role in maritime trade, represented by Hanseatic buildings on Market Square. The ornate and Gothic town hall has a Renaissance facade and large model ships in its upper hall. Nearby is the Roland statue, a giant stone figure symbolizing the freedom of trade. St. Peter's Cathedral features medieval crypts and twin spires.

German girls are known for being a bit difficult to figure out at first and this certainly is a stereotype that holds for most Germans. They might seem a bit more reserved than women from other cultures at first but once you penetrate the ice, you will have smooth sailing. In most regards, German women are used to being treated equally to men. They will gladly split the restaurant bill and like to pull their weight when it comes to household responsibilities and earning money.

Dating Culture

One of the first things you will notice about the Germans is that they are not the most obvious flirts. You could look like a total knockout, but Germans may not even turn their heads. But don’t fret! It’s not because they don’t find you hot. It’s just how the local flirting etiquettes are – too subtle for us foreigners to detect. Dating a German requires a whole new appreciation of the concept of time. Germans generally keep time everywhere including when going for dates.

Most Germans know little or nothing of the art of talking about banal, superficial topics as a way of “breaking the ice” with new acquaintances; is not part of German “respect”. Germans often react negatively to the shallow, superficial quality of casual friendships/acquaintanceship, and so he might react negatively towards you if you engage in much "light" conversation. If you're looking for good topics for conversation, try politics, current events, philosophy, or any subject he's studying in school.

Sugar Dating

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Online Dating

Dating in Bremen can be a bit tricky due to not knowing if you have a solid connection, so your best bet is to sign up for a dating site before you venture to the night club or bar, so you can meet a few locals ahead of time. AdultFriendFinder.com lets you meet local members in Bremen and get to know them on a personal basis before you meet in person. Take advantage of site features like live chat and member to member webcams so you can begin flirting before arranging a face-to-face meeting.

Webcam Dating

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Women

In all, around 41 million women live in Germany – roughly two million more than men. While men live on average to the age of 78.3, the life expectancy for women is around 83 years. On average, women have their first child at the age of 30.

Be they entrepreneurs, company directors, scientists or experts, women play an important role in German industry. According to figures published by the Federal Statistical Office, Germany has the third-highest rate of female employment in the European Union. The proportion of working women in Germany has risen by eight percentage points in the last ten years. The male employment rate is around 83 percent.

Women in Germany are very highly educated: more than half of those with the Abitur (Germany’s university entrance qualification), around 50% of university graduates and around 45% of doctoral students are female. According to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, management positions are nonetheless filled primarily by men: 88.4% of university professors are men.

Germany currently has its most female cabinet to date. With nine male and seven female members, the proportion of women is just shy of 44%. That may be good news, yet it says little about equal rights in German politics in general. In 2018, around 29% of federal ministers, ministers of state, state secretaries and department heads were women. The proportion of women in the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, is just over 30% at present.

Generally, although German society can be very progressive, there is still a long way to go before Germany achieves gender equality. Though many laws and policies support women's rights, many women in Germany believe that gender roles and a lack of representation of women in high-level positions are hampering progress. Besides, several feminists of color find that feminism in Germany is very white, and the experiences of women of color are often left out of the conversation.

German Girls (age 18 - 29)

These girls here are at the age of transition where girls leave teenage and get into adulthood. This transition results in the young girls here being the most beautiful. At this point, hormones are released into the body of these girls. The action of this hormone results in the development of secondary sexual features in women. The breasts which were hitherto flat protrude and become round and supple while the hips and buttock grow in size.

They are quite modern and have all the knowledge about fashion and makeup. They have long and shiny hair and these girls are fair-skinned. They wear makeup to enhance their beauty. They have a beautiful mind, sexy body and a pretty soul. German wear a beautiful smile which makes them look extraordinary. They are mesmerizing and these girls know what they want. These girls are also aware of new fashion and trends.

Similarly, the women take an extraordinary effort in dressing up, this is done irrespective of what the occasion is, the women take good care of their bodies, they are extremely hygienic as well. They also believe in looking good, smelling good, and being presentable at all times. The women keep make-up to a minimum but they use quite a few other products to maintain their radiance. As described earlier, most of the women from France have an undeniably sexy demeanor, they ooze raw sexual energy and are inviting in many ways.

German Women (age 30 - 45)

The German women at this age fall into two groups; the first group is the ones who opt to get into family life as soon as they have finished their education and become housewives. These will have gotten married by this age and will spend much of their time taking care of their families only leaving the house to run related errands.

The second group of women is of those who, while some may get into the family way, will continue to further their careers. Increasingly, more and more German women are opting to carry on with their professional careers even as they balance this with their families.

Today more than 50% of German women choose to pursue their careers after completing their studies.

This means the woman that you come across this age will most likely be married with children as some of them get married earlier in life. If you get lucky and get one who is not yet married, she will be looking for a husband and is where you may come in. This can only work if you agree to act as the prospective husband as the law discourages women interacting with unrelated men unless it is one is planning to marry them. These women are slightly more mature and so know how to conduct themselves without arousing any suspicion.

German Ladies (age 45+)

Just like in the category above, the women here can either be housewives or career women. The housewives tend to have more children than those women who take the professional path. This is because the housewives have more time for themselves and can manage to take care of children. The professional women will be content with two or three children as they have to deal with the vagaries of work-family balance.

No matter how beautiful a girl may have been in her early years, women above 45 years tend to lose some of their sparks. She will be struggling with many personal complications and those on the older side may be having health issues as well.

You may come across a divorced woman above 45 years who through sheer luck may have kept herself well and may be ready for a relationship. You will have to prepare to go the long haul with her as anything short of that may end up making her look like an adulteress and face the wrath of the locals.

Foreign Girls (tourists, expats, students, etc.)

One group of foreign girls in Germany and Bremen are tourists. Not only is Germany indisputably the most popular destination for international conferences in Europe, but it is also continually gaining in importance as a holiday destination. While the number of holiday trips from Europe rose by 1% in total in 2015, compared to the previous year, the demand for holidays in Germany increased by 5%. Culture and nature are the two central elements at the core of the Destination Germany brand – and this is reflected in the tourism-related demand. European tourists opt for trips to Bremen because of the exciting culture and lively cities. In general, about 37 million tourists come to Germany every year.

Another significant group of foreign girls in Germany are foreign workers. Germany has special visa agreements with several countries in times of severe labor shortages or when particular skills were deficient within the country. During the 1960s and 1970s, agreements were signed with the governments of Turkey, Yugoslavia, Italy and Spain to help Germany overcome its severe labor shortage. As of 2012, the largest sources of net immigration to Germany are other European countries, most importantly Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and Greece; notably, in the case of Turkey, German Turks moving to Turkey slightly outnumber new immigrants.

There are also many foreign students studying in the country. Germany is one of the most developed nations in the world and one of the areas that this is more evident is in education. Germany has some of the best universities in the world that attract many students especially in the fields of science and technology for which the country is widely known. An annual trends report from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) shows that the number of international students in Germany has been climbing over the years, with almost 400,000 foreign students enrolled in German universities. A large percentage of these foreign students come from China and Russia while another large portion comes from African countries.

Business people from all over the world are attracted to Germany as the top destination for international trade fairs. The ever-growing number of visitors has long-since become an important economic factor.

Sex

While at the beginning these girls look unapproachable, they become easy as they get comfortable. A lot of girls here can be shy at first and might not respond well to being approached by a stranger. However, most of the girls have lower inhibitions during the night and it is easier to pick them up during the night.

Sex Culture

Generally, German culture is quite open about sex. We start sex education in Kindergarten. And no, it's not the "indoctrination" or sexualization lots of Americans seem to fear. At that age it's mostly teaching them to correctly name their private parts and that nobody is allowed to touch them there without permission (which is surely the exact opposite of sexualization) and introducing the basic concept of "if mummy and daddy have a special hug a baby starts growing in mummy's tummy".

Then it's done again at around age eight or nine when first biological concepts are introduced like sperm, eggs, what an embryo looks like, how birth works.....

And then at around age 12 or 13, they are taught about birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and all that. So we make sure kids always have the information relevant to their age group. And of course that way they learn that sex is something that can be openly talked about and doesn't have to be taboo.

One-Night Stands

Germans are notorious party animals and one only needs to show up in an entertainment joint and buy drinks for a girl and she will be ready to entertain you for the night. Indeed there are several clubs in Monterrey that are known as hangouts for single ladies who will be willing to go for a one night stand with you.

Best Places to Meet Single Girls

Bremen has also long been an important cultural center, boasting numerous top attractions and plenty of fun things to do. Key events in the city's cultural calendar include the Freimarkt, the country's largest funfair and one that has taken place here almost continuously since 1036, and concerts by the International Youth Symphony Orchestra of Bremen. Some of the most memorable experiences for visitors and tourists include exploring the historic Old Town (Altstadt) or strolling through Bremen's many fine parks and green spaces.

In Medieval times the Weser River brought Europe to Bremen's door, and the city grew in stature as a Free Hanseatic City from the 12th Century. Sea trade has always been in Bremen's blood, and from the 17th century, exotic products like coffee started arriving. In the 20s Roselius gave Bremen the Böttcherstraße, a whole street of “Brick Expressionist” houses and workshops, all still intact. Bremen also has quaint maritime neighborhoods, museums of all descriptions on its “Cultural Mile” and UNESCO-listed Medieval and Renaissance monuments at the central Market Square. Clubs and Entertainment Joints

Bars, Pubs and Nightclubs

  • Lagerhaus: This once-dilapidated warehouse off Ostertorsteinweg was squatted by young revolutionaries in the 1970s and later became a cultural center. Today it houses a pub with an alternative flavor downstairs and disco for a 20- to 30-something crowd upstairs. Concerts and performance art are held here, too.
  • Feldmann’s Bierhaus: A slightly older crowd can be found chatting and lingering over the wide range of Haake-Beck beers in this modern Bierhaus on the Schlachte bar-and-restaurant drag, with tables and benches set up to take advantage of views over the Weser. There's also a food menu.
  • Modernes: South of the river in Neustadt, this club converted from an old movie theatre also hosts live music concerts and remains Bremen's best dance club, bar none. The centerpiece is the domed roof that can be opened to let in some much-needed air towards the end of the evening.
  • Studio: This venue, situated in the small lane known as Auf den Höfen, has changed names over the years but the design and concept remain much the same: a favorite bar, lounge, and cocktail place among students, with occasional events. It's down an alleyway behind the street-fronting building.
  • NFF Club: With a futuristic-looking bar, a chic dance floor and lots of cocktails, Nur Für Freunde (Just for Friends) is the place for a house, dance and electro. It's also where famous German and international DJs come to spin tunes.
  • Wohnzimmer: This bar and lounge mostly gets a relaxed 20s and early-30s crowd, who hang out on the sofas – which explains the name ‘Living Room’ – or lounge around on the mezzanine levels.
  • Cafe Tölke: This Viennese-style coffee house in Bremen will please even the most discerning lovers of the roasted bean. Furnishings are original sofas, mirrors and chairs from the Austrian capital, but offering a less stuffy, more Hanseatic interpretation. Order a slice of one of the huge, gorgeous cakes to go with your cup.
  • Teestübchen in Schnoor: Set in a medieval building in the Schnoor district, this teahouse serves its numerous varieties – black, green, chai, rooibos, sencha, Darjeeling, you name it – on blue-and-white china in a quaint setting with bright white walls set off by a half-timbered ceiling. On nice days you can sit outside in the courtyard.
  • Lila Eule: A decade or more is a long time to be a hot tip, but this Das Viertel gem has pulled it off. A student crowd gathers here for parties and events, but it’s also a very alternative place to watch the Werder Bremen football team; most Werder matches are shown here. Thursday night is the legendary student bash.
  • Die Glocke: Bremen’s concert hall stages classical concerts, opera and a large variety of special events, many by visiting performers, in a venue whose acoustics are considered to be among Europe’s very best.
Party at the Modernes club in Bremen

Shopping Malls

Some of the malls in Bremen include:

  • Waterfront Mall
  • Lloyd Passage
  • Weserpark
  • Roland Center
  • EDU - Einkaufspark Duckwitz Bremen
  • Sander Center
  • Domshof Passage
  • Walle Center
  • Katharinen Passage

Outdoors

St Peter's Cathedral commands the central market square has 1,200 years of history. Unsurprising given its age, the building is a mishmash of styles, with Romanesque, Gothic and bits of later Gothic Revival sprinkled in following restorations in the 19th century. The cathedral's pair of 89-meter towers break Bremen's skyline, and you can go up the south tower for an exhilarating view. The crypt meanwhile is the oldest portion of the church and goes back to the 11th century.

One of the most beautiful civic buildings, not just in Germany, but all of Europe, Bremen’s City Hall earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2005. What began as a Brick Gothic hall in the 15th century was given an exquisite Renaissance makeover 200 years later when the rich reliefs and statues were carved. You could lose a lot of time marveling at the stonework and identifying all the figures on here, like Charlemagne and Bremen’s seven Imperial Electors.

In the Riensberg neighborhood to the east of Bremen's center, the Focke Museum reveals Bremen's 1,200 years of history. The attraction is based on several historic structures dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, around a modern main building from the 1960s. In the main exhibition, you can view curiosities like the original head of the Roland statue and sandstone statues from the facade of the town hall brought here for safekeeping.

Just right for a rainy day, the Universum is a wildly popular interactive science center in a futuristic metallic building that looks a bit like a mussel shell. There are over 300 exhibits, all challenging young minds to solve problems and experiment in hands-on ways. The three main zones are Nature, Humans and Technology, filled with intelligently designed games, models and displays to make complicated concepts more digestible

The southern entrance to Bremen’s best-loved park, the Bürgerpark is moments away from the Hauptbahnhof. What begins as a narrow strip of lawns and trees in the center of the city eventually broadens into a 200-hectare park that extends past the University to the open countryside north of Bremen. If you need an affordable family day out in summer the Bürgerpark has animal habitats for sheep, goats, pigs, wild boars, alpacas, guinea pigs and deer.

For art lovers, the highlight of Bremen’s Kulturmeile (Cultural Mile) is the Kunsthalle, which presents a large permanent collection of paintings, sculptures and copperplate engravings from the Middle Ages into the modern era – some of the masterpieces here are more than 600 years old. The collection includes work by van Dyck, Rubens, Monet, Van Gogh and Picasso, as well as 10 sculptures by Rodin. Rotating exhibitions display both classical and contemporary art.

Universities and Colleges

The city of Bremen is home to numerous colleges and universities. Some of the most known ones are:

  • University of Bremen
  • Goethe-Institut
  • University of the Arts, Bremen
  • Bremen University of Applied Sciences
  • Jacobs University Bremen
  • Hochschule Bremen
  • AKAD Fernhochschule – Prüfungszentrum Bremen
  • Mercator College
  • College Nordmetall
  • Wärmekraftlabor WKL

Relationship

Meeting new people is relatively easy in Germany and dating practices are similar to other European countries. Teenagers generally begin to socialize with peers at school, within their neighborhood, or through social activities and local clubs. Young adults, however, tend to meet at bars and clubs, while the older generation generally moves within their circles of friends. Unlike some cultures, which are comfortable with the idea of meeting a stranger for an hour or so before arranging a proper date, Germans prefer to take their time. They generally like to meet potential partners through trusted circles, where they can gradually get to know someone before building a relationship. This might explain why online dating was slow to catch on in Germany.

As previously mentioned, the German approach to dating is to take things slow and invest time in getting to know a person. Because most Germans don't rush into relationships, it might take weeks or even months of dating before a couple becomes official. The pace at which a relationship evolves is also down to the individuals. However, generally speaking, couples in Germany usually live together for months or even years before they decide to get married. Traditionally, a man would ask a woman’s father for permission to marry her. Although this is no longer necessary, many Germans continue to do so out of respect.

Holiday Romance

Communication is the lifeblood of any relationship, but it is especially important to keep a holiday romance going. And perhaps most importantly, when/ if it gets serious, who is going to move? If neither of you is willing to move, the relationship is doomed from the start. Be open and honest about your expectations. Also, remember to be honest when you're having a difficult time with long-distance. I virtually guarantee you that at some point one or both of you will probably feel and question whether it is worth it or not. Since you don't have the gift of spending time together as normal couples do, verbal communication becomes incredibly important to ensure that the relationship is working for both of you.

Since it is most probable that the two of you will be going your separate ways after the holiday, it is important to know when you’re going to see each other next. That’s what gets you through the tough times. You must have regular contact – emails, Skype, phone, messaging or a combination. It doesn't have to be daily contact in the beginning, since that is a lot for any new relationship, but it does have to be regularly.

Tips for Successful Relationship

Any relationship requires commitment and sacrifice form parties. The two of you will need to invest both physically and emotionally for the relationship to blossom and grow into something beautiful. These requirements can only increase when you are getting into a relationship with someone from a conservative society as the one in Germany.

Islam is one of the strictest religions and Germany has some of the staunchest Muslims in the world. The girl that you choose may come from one of these families and this may affect how the two of you interact. It will be important for you to be ready to accept the girl and her cultural background. You will need to be discreet at the onset as reputation is key to Muslim girls and they work hard to protect it.

Honesty is one of the most important pillars of a successful relationship. Everyone has things that they would rather keep to themselves away from anyone else. While this is common, you need to identify those things that will affect your relationship in any way and lay them in the open. This will help you avoid future conflict when the truth is revealed in some other way.

There are no two human beings in the world who have identical. Even though there may be similarities in some physical or even mental characteristics, our interactions and upbringing and how we react to them result in every one of us being unique in their way. This fact is clear and important in a relationship. The two of you come from different places, had different upbringings and have different interests. The biggest challenge for a couple is to ensure that these two sets of identities complement each other and not conflict. With this understanding, you will be able to have reasonable expectations of each other and not use your own life to gauge your partner.

Love

Whether it is in Bremen or anywhere else, the feeling of being in love is something that we all look forward to at a point in our lives. From birth and throughout, we are born with an innate longing to love and to be loved. At times, falling in love may be seen from a distance. However, most times you will never know how things happen but you will find yourself being attracted and later attached to someone who a while back was a stranger. With the many activities that Bremen has to offer, being in love here is going to be one of the best things ever.

How to Make Sure She Is the One

While it may not be humanly possible to completely know the type of girl you are getting into a relationship with, it will be helpful to look out for some pointers to help you as you decide to settle down with someone.

The girl that you seek to marry should show compassion and support towards others and their struggles, including yours. You will have down days and you will feel upset, and your partner should be able to support you and relate to you during these times. Even though she may show this support to you out of obligation, she must extend the same to those around her.

Honesty is a very important trait in a long-term relationship; if you can’t trust your partner, how can you tell them anything in confidence, or believe anything they said to you? Find someone who respects you enough to be honest with you, even when it is difficult for them.

As well as supporting your dreams and goals, the woman you marry should have her dreams and ambitions, too. She will look to her future regularly and plan how to improve her life, rather than depending on you for a good and fulfilling life.

Admiring your partner and her attitude should motivate you to be a better version of yourself. From going to the gym to volunteering at a charity, you should want to be the best version of yourself for her—and yourself.

Marriage

In June 2017 the German parliament passed a law officially raising the minimum legal age of marriage to 18. Previously, 16-year-olds were allowed to marry adults in certain cases with court permission.

Marriages are considered legal unions or "legally binding contracts" between the persons involved. Marriage has traditionally been protected from the outset under the Constitution. Everybody getting married in Germany must first appear physically at a Standesamt for a civil ceremony. This is all that is needed, and the great majority of couples go no further. Witnesses are not required at the civil ceremony.

Couples planning to get married in Germany should get started with the legal formalities as soon as possible. Several months out is not too soon. Things can usually be disposed of in far less time than that, but several legal issues, particularly previous marriages, can create a hassle.

The first places to check when you decide to get married are your local embassy or consulate and the local magistrate's office (Standesamt). Ask at these places what documentation is needed. Requirements may vary from region to region and there may be some extra requirements depending on the nationality, previous marital status and other circumstances of one or both partners.

Both partners will most likely need:

• A valid passport

• An official birth certificate

• Proof of a minimum of 21 days of continuous residence in Germany (this can be a Meldebescheinigung issued by the local Anmeldeamt)

• Proof of being single (Ledigkeitsbescheinigung)

• Birth certificates of children (if any) the couple may have had together

• The required application and questionnaire from the Standesamt

One or both partners may have to provide the following depending on their particular circumstances and the requirements of the local magistrate's office:

• Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) (Befreiung vom Ehefähigkeitszeugnis)

• Marriage certificates from previous marriages

• A financial statement

Persons who were previously married must present either a death certificate for the former spouse or proof that the marriage was permanently dissolved by divorce. The former is usually no problem; the latter a rock on which many marriage plans have been wrecked. A simple divorce decree from an American or British court is usually not enough. Proof probably will be required that this decree can no longer be contested. It is usually necessary to get a statement to this effect from the court that granted the divorce.

Wedding

A civil ceremony is usually held at the local Standesamt a couple of days or even months before a large church wedding. A civil ceremony is all that is needed to make a marriage legal in Germany and many couples opt only for this simple ceremony that is usually held with a few close relatives and friends as witnesses.

When the future married couple visits in person to surprisingly announce their wedding, it’s a tradition to serve them scrambled eggs as a snack. Since the suddenly invited wedding guests can’t prepare for a spontaneous meal, it became a tradition to prepare something quick and simple everyone usually has in the kitchen — scrambled eggs.

In Germany, rehearsal or groom’s dinners are not celebrated. The Polterabend is the equivalent, which is usually celebrated one to three weeks before the wedding. Every guest brings old porcelain to break at the party. The breaking is supposed to banish evil spirits. The future bridal pair has to clean it up together. Don't be surprised if guests show up with porcelain toilets or with a truck full of porcelain. It's all legit as long as it's not glass, which is considered bad luck if you break it.

The engagement ring in Germany is worn on the left-hand ring finger while the wedding ring goes on the right hand.

Right after the wedding ceremony, it’s an old custom to let the newly married couple saw a log placed on a sawbuck using a jigsaw. It’s important to push and pull equally and well-paced. It reflects how well the couple can work equally together to be successful.

At the reception, the first dance is usually a waltz and reserved for the bride and groom. The next dance is for the bride and her father and groom and his mother. The bride's mother will dance with the groom's father.

A Spitzwecken is a 10-foot long cake, which is ritualistically brought into the festivity room. The long cake on a wooden plate is carried by a group of about 10 male (or nowadays sometimes female) wedding guests. It starts with music and the group tries to enter the room, pretending to not get in because the cake is too long. After a couple of beer breaks served with a ladle out of a bucket, the group needs to find a solution to get the cake inside. The next step is to ax the door frame. One group member holds a piece of wood to the door frame while other axes it, simulating axing the door frame. This is of course not the solution and the group ends up sawing the cake with the plate in two pieces. Finally, the cake is inside with a lot of applause. This cake is for the guests' party favor bags together with leftovers from the fancy cakes. Other types of party favors are not common in Germany.

It’s a tradition that the bride buys her wedding shoes from her savings, but using only one-cent coins. This symbolizes that she can be thrifty. Late on the celebration day, the shoes go on sale by auction. The guests put money in the shoes and the end, the groom puts in the last bid and gives the shoes back to his wife. The auction is a less and less used tradition because the bride and the groom don't want more financial burden for the guests.

The wedding night is not easy for the newly married couple because of various pranks. One version is to hide alarm clocks all over the sleeping room with different alarm settings. Another common prank is to fill up the whole sleeping room with balloons. Barriers to the house or sleeping room are also a way to fluster the bride and groom.

Family Life

What is a traditional family in your country? In Germany, a typical family is made up of a mother, father, and between one and three children. Both parents work, with one parent, usually the mother, working only part-time. Grandparents or other family members don't usually live in the same building, and often live in a different city. Factors like professional mobility have led to the core family – that is, parents and their school-aged children – being the most common group to share a home.

The extended family generally lives separately. This family form (with children living at home being under 18 years of age) continues to be the most common family structure. However, many different living situations and family forms are gaining popularity in Germany as traditional ideas about family structures are challenged. It is now becoming common for couples to choose not to have children or for parents of children to decide not to get married and remain in de facto relationships.

In most families, parents are married. But there are also lots of single parents, parents living with a partner, or "patchwork" families.

Family is fundamentally important to most Germans. People often identify its main source of value being the unique personal relationship one has with each family member and the support they receive from one another. For many Germans, the family home provides a place where an individual's eccentricity can be fully revealed. Parents and relatives are expected to help foster a person's aspirations to help them reach their full potential. However, Germans are also generally encouraged to be self-reliant throughout childhood so that they are prepared to be independent as adults. Most children move out of their parents' homes when they go to university or as soon as they are in a financial position to do so.

See Also