German couple decorate tree with 10,000 Easter eggs
Volker and Christa Kraft have been decorating their apple tree with 10,000 lovingly hand-painted hen’s eggs since 1965.
The German pensioners say the adorn the tree annually every Easter for their children and grandchildren.
After seeing a lilac tree decorated with eggs when he was a child, Volker’s dream was to have his own egg-decorated tree. By 2013 the couple had over 10,000 hand crafted eggs hanging on the tree.
What started out as some fun and entertainment for their family quickly became a tourist attraction, with thousands of tourists descending on the Kraft’s family garden to catch a glimpse of the colourful tree.
Decorating bushes and tree with Easter eggs is part of a common tradition and custom for those living in Germany and Austria. But the kraft’s are the only family so far that have gone to such an extreme for over 5 decades.
We think it’s a lovely idea and one that anyone can consider enjoying this Easter holiday.
Egg boxes are stacked in a room of German pensioners Christa and Volker Kraft’s summerhouse in Saalfeld
Easter eggs adorn an apple tree in the garden of the summerhouse of German pensioners Christa and Volker Kraft in Saalfeld
Easter eggs adorn an apple tree in the garden of the summerhouse of German pensioners Christa and Volker Kraft in Saalfeld
Part of the collection of Easter eggs of German pensioners Christa and Volker Kraft are displayed before decorating a tree in Saalfeld
German pensioner Kraft compiles Easter eggs before decorating an apple tree with them in Saalfeld
German pensioner Volker Kraft uses a step ladder as he decorates an apple tree with Easter eggs in the garden of his summerhouse, in the eastern German town of Saalfeld, March 19, 2014. Each year since 1965 Volker and his wife Christa spend up to two weeks decorating the tree with their collection of 10,000 colourful hand-painted Easter eggs in time for Easter celebrations. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch