46 CultureShock! Austria
5:00 pm on Saturday. There is opposition to the idea of
opening stores on Sunday, because many feel this would
lead to the breakdown of the family.Special Holidays Together
Families love to come together to celebrate special occasions,
especially birthdays, Saints’ Days, Easter and Christmas. Each
celebration is a time for a nice family dinner, the opening of
gifts, having friends over and making merry.The Elderly
A great percentage of the Austrian folk are over the age of 60.
You often see white-haired men and blue-haired old ladies on
trams or doing their weekly shopping. Many are good-natured
and friendly, especially if you have a baby or dog in tow, but
some can seem grumpy and unhappy with you if you don’t
appear to be following the rules of good behaviour.
The social system is so good and the family situation so
close that the elderly are very well taken care of by their
immediate family. They usually enter nursing homes only
when close medical supervision is required.Getting Away
Garden lots
Garden lots or small gardens (Schrebergärten or Kleingärten)
became popular after World War I as a private source of
vegetables in times of shortage. Later on, the garden became
a summer retreat and a means of escaping from the crowds
of the city.
Today, the garden lot has become a second home for many,
who build small houses on the lots and either live in them
permanently, or on weekends or in the summer. In most of
the outer districts of Vienna alone, there are approximately
35,000 garden lots.Inheriting a House
Many Austrians are lucky enough to inherit an apartment,
house or farmhouse. The house can become the permanent
home or, if it is located outside the city, the country home.