Beware of your tie on February 27th this year!

Picture this: You walk into your office wearing your favourite tie, feeling sharp and ready to tackle the day. Suddenly, a colleague approaches you, not with a handshake or a coffee, but with scissors in hand. Before you can react… snip! Your tie is gone, and the room bursts into laughter.

Welcome to Schmutziger Donnerstag, or Dirty Thursday, the most mischievous day of the German carnival season. But don’t let the name fool you. It’s not about dirt (Schmutzig), it’s about fat (Schmutz), a nod to the rich feasts people enjoyed before the fasting season of Lent. This day kicks off the wildest stretch of Fastnacht (or Fasnacht), especially in southwestern Germany and Switzerland, where parades, costumes, and all-out revelry take over the streets.

But here’s where it gets really fun: the tie-cutting tradition.
On Schmutziger Donnerstag, women symbolically “take over” by snipping off men’s ties, a cheeky rebellion against authority and formality. In offices, in the streets, even at bars, no tie is safe. And trust me, no one is off-limits.

So, if you’re heading to work on February 27th this year, leave your prized tie at home. Or, if you’re feeling brave, wear an old one and join in the fun. Who knows? You might end up tie-less but with a great story to tell.