Fourth Sunday of Lent (Halfway through Lent)

Men give their sweetheart a pretzel. And if their love is returned she will give him a chocolate egg on Easter. If the love is not reciprocated, she will give him an empty basket. There is a common Luxembourgish expression “de Kuerf kreien” or “to be given the basket” which comes from the traditions of this holiday. On leap years the genders are reversed and the girl gives the pretzel, and the male gives the egg or the basket on Easter.

Pretzels are a common lenten snack throughout all Catholic countries, however the tradition in Luxembourg has become to give an almond pretzel pastry made of a leavened puff pastry. The tradition dates back to the 17th Century, as a gesture for sealing marriages. Now it is a country wide celebration with parades, pageants, festivities, and of course freshly baked pretzels. The shape of the pretzels are said to symbolize two lovers holding hands.

The shape of the pretzel has a long Lenten history in general, supposedly symbolising folded hands in prayer. Since the snack was unleavened and contained to eggs or fat, but was simply flour and water, it was acceptable to be eaten during Lenten fasting. And it was given as a reward for saying prayers. The pretzel eventually morphed into a symbol of love.