We’re all adjusting to this new normal. A lot of us are working from home, our children are enrolling in virtual summer camps, and everyone is getting very good at baking bread. Family traditions have been turned upside down. We’ve celebrated birthdays by video conferencing, attended drive-by wedding ceremonies, and enjoyed socially distanced Mother’s Day picnics on our front lawns.
Now, just when it seems like we’ve gotten used to this new way of life, many of our communities are taking the first steps towards returning to normal. This weekend, with loosened restrictions and summer just around the corner, families everywhere will be looking for special new ways to celebrate Father’s Day.
Traditions are important to us. That’s why we have some suggestions for new Father’s Day traditions your family could adopt to make your dad’s day.
1. Do I Hear a Waltz?
Each year, the auditorium of the Vienna State Opera is transformed into a majestic ballroom for the Vienna Opera Ball. This exclusive society event has been held each year since 1814, and features 180 elegantly dressed debutante couples dancing the waltz all throughout the night.
Even though it’s probably not possible to throw your dad a party as lavish as the Opera Ball this Father’s Day weekend, there are still ways to hold your own at-home father-daughter Cotillion. Dancing instructors all over the world are hosting online classes so participants can brush up on the ballroom skills from any room in the house.
You and Dad can get one step closer to the actual Opera Ball by learning the Viennese waltz at-home! This Father’s Day, consider booking your own private session with an instructor like Egils Smagris. Who knows? Maybe taking a dance class with Dad will become your new annual tradition!
2. Your Own Backyard Biergarten
After several weeks indoors, nothing sounds better than relaxing on a patio and sharing some laughs with family and friends. The traditional German Biergarten originated in the 19th century, and ever since, relaxing at communal outdoor tables with beer, food, and entertainment has become a favourite pastime for fathers (and families) all over the world.
Right now, in certain communities, restaurants’ outdoor patios are opening for business, to give socially-distanced customers the chance to enjoy something other than home-cooking for the first time in a very long time. But in many cities across North America, health and safety restrictions still prevent large gatherings from taking place at public restaurants, even with outdoor serving areas.
This Father’s Day, why not bring the tradition of the Biergarten into your backyard? You’ll have to limit your number of guests to close family, and maintain a proper distance from one another, but you can still raise a stein of pilsner to celebrate the occasion. Find some Gemütlichkeit -- a feeling of warmth and good cheer -- in your own backyard.
3. Viennese BBQ and Dessert
Nothing says Father’s Day like a good old-fashioned barbecue. If it wasn’t part of your family tradition in the past, this Father’s Day is the perfect time to start!
Similar to regular hot dogs in texture and taste, Viennese sausages are traditionally made from spiced ham. If you’re worried about keeping the proper distance from one another, just add heaps of homemade sauerkraut to your frankfurter!
No Viennese Father’s Day feast would be complete without dessert. This year, start a new tradition, and end your barbecue by baking your own Viennese apple strudel.