Braving the Unusual Warmth for a Christmas Swim Tradition
Amidst the mild water temperatures of four degrees Celsius on Christmas Eve, members of the winter swimming club "Pirrlliepausen" in Brandenburg, Germany, chose to take a refreshing dip in Lake Senftenberg.
Dressed in pointed or bobble hats, the swimmers reveled in the chilly water, their spirits undeterred by the contrasting weather experienced the previous year – when the water temperature dipped below two degrees.
On a day with an air temperature of six degrees and water temperature of four degrees, the Christmas bathers found the conditions unsuitable for their usual traditions. "It's much more fun when it's ten degrees below zero in the air and one degree above in the water," said Peter Lehmann, the club spokesman, reminiscing about the thrill of hacking a swimming hole in the frozen lake under a sunny blue sky.
As the term "Pirrlliepausen" suggests, the festive swimmers hold a deep affection for this winter custom, derived from Old North German tradition.
Alas, the warmth left them longing for the traditional chilling water temperature, which, unfortunately, remains unattainable for another year. Meanwhile, the approaching storm depression brings anticipation of heavy rain and snow, which might add another layer to the ever-changing German winter weather.
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Enrichment Data: Club traditions and related historical context related to winter swimming clubs in Germany are not available in the provided search results. For detailed information, consult sources specific to winter swimming clubs in Eastern Europe or Germany.
