On Sunday 10 February, the Carnival 2018 spectacle will begin in many Dutch and Belgian cities. Carnival is mainly celebrated in the Netherlands in the south of the country. In many cities, Prince Carnival has already been chosen on the 11th of the 11th, Saint Martin. The council of 11 is ready behind the scenes and the floats are almost finished. Let the carnival begin, Alaaf!
The history of carnival
The tradition of carnival has changed over the centuries. Carnival was first celebrated as a spring festival. People were happy to have survived the winter, since nothing grows in the winter and it was hard for people to survive. With the spring festival, they celebrated that it was light for longer and that the temperatures were rising again. The good times had arrived! Celebrating the spring festival was also the way to chase away the evil spirits of winter with masks and loud noises. We see this phenomenon again at the Chinese New Year.
After carnival, fasting begins. Carnival as we know it today also originates from Lent. The evening before everyone started fasting and the last time that everyone could still stuff themselves. Carnival was therefore a party that prepared people for the sober times that were to come. It is therefore not surprising that many people use carnival not only to party, but also to have a delicious meal with the family and be together.
The Rhineland Carnival or the Burgundian Carnival?
Carnival is celebrated differently in every city, but there are also two different types of carnival, namely the Rhineland carnival and the Burgundian carnival.
In the Burgundian carnival, the name Burgundian comes from the Burgundian Netherlands, which was founded in 1384. This form of carnival, which is mainly celebrated in Brabant and Flemish Brabant, is characterized by the fact that carnival is seen as a resistance against forced etiquette. The costume is therefore a farmer's smock with a red handkerchief. There is one carnival association active per city that takes care of the organization for the entire festival.
In cities such as Den Bosch (Oeteldonk), Bergen op Zoom (Krabbegat), Tilburg (Kruikestad), Breda (Kielegat) the Burgundian carnival is celebrated. The Rhineland version that is celebrated in Limburg mainly takes place on the streets. Where Alaaf is not used in the Burgundian carnival, it is used a lot in Limburg! The farmer's smock is not very common, people choose their own outfit, in which they dress up lavishly. In addition, days are organized here such as the Ouwe Wijvenavonden. On this evening, the ladies are allowed to cut the ties and shoelaces of men they see in the city. So pay attention appropriately!
Who is Prince Carnival?
During carnival, the mayor is out of the picture. Instead, every municipality, city or village has a Prince Carnival. The prince is usually someone who has been active in a carnival association for years and a real election is organized for the Prince Carnival 2018.
Did you know that a Prince Carnival needs to have a nice nest egg before he becomes Prince? In many cities where carnival is celebrated, the Prince is a generous giver who often buys a round in the pub, helps pay for the carnival association and of course buys his own Prince Carnival costume.
Prince Carnival is supported by the council of eleven. Where carnival is mainly celebrated, people are already busy organizing carnival 2018 months before the time of the celebration. Prince Carnival is also preparing for the handover of the keys, his responsibilities and of course putting together his costume!
The council of eleven
The organization of the carnival is done by the council of eleven. These eleven men or women ensure that the carnival runs smoothly. Before, during and after the carnival party, they are busy organizing the most fun carnival that people will think about for a long time. The council of eleven is busy, but of course they are also dressed up every day.
When is Carnival 2018 celebrated?
Carnival is mainly celebrated from Sunday 11 to Tuesday 13 February 2018. However, in many places carnival parties are already organized from Friday. Many schools also give carnival holidays in the week of 10 to 18 February 2018, so that both parents and children can enjoy the party!
Carnival traditions
Depending on whether you are in Den Bosch or Maastricht, the traditions for Carnival 2018 can of course differ. Carnival of course starts with the fancy dress party. Plan a joint outfit with friends or dress up separately, as long as you feel comfortable and warm! Also keep in mind what time of day the celebration is. Are you going out outdoors at night? Then wear a thermal shirt under your carnival costume. Parades are also a fixed part of carnival. After a year of building, carnival associations can finally exhibit their creations and win prizes. Tonpraten is also a tradition, where a joke teller tells jokes from a wooden barrel. Don't forget the marching bands that hop from bar to bar to play the best carnival music, will you encounter them during Carnival 2018?
The carnival trends of 2018
Every year we see a clear trend at carnival. Carnival 2017, for example, was all about dick suits and nude suits. The carnival trends of 2018 really include the new collection worn by costumes, unicorn costumes , beautiful striking carnival jackets and suits. Carnival virgins will mainly go for carnival costumes such as flower power clothing, disco clothing, historical clothing or hippie clothing that is a must-have in every collection of carnival clothing. If you want to dress up with a group of friends, it is fun to complete outfits with inflatable items, glitter and glamour accessories, wigs, beards and moustaches.
What we also see with the carnival trends 2018 is that a carnival costume does not necessarily have to be expensive. Cheap carnival clothing is more and more fun! For example, in recent years, the costumes worn by have become cheaper by the year, so that everyone can now buy such a type of carnival costume. The difference between just making a carnival suit online and a real carnival 2018 suit is the act that you think up around your suit. With fake weapons, matching make-up, prank items and musical instruments or party poppers, your outfit becomes really credible and unique.
The latest carnival trend for 2018 does not relate to a theme carnival costumes but more to an all-inclusive carnival. More and more manufacturers make carnival clothing in large sizes. This way everyone can find a nice outfit for carnival 2018!
We wish you all a lot of fun at carnival 2018! Don't forget to buy the best carnival outfits for women and men online at e-Carnavalskleding.nl. Are you going dressed up with a large group? Then easily request a group discount from us! This way you always buy the best carnival costumes at the lowest price.
