Maibaum

In Germany, the first of May is a holiday but something special happens the night of April 30. There's different versions around Germany, but where I live, guys put up a birch tree in front of their girlfriend's house and the tree is decorated with streamers and a huge red heart with the girls name on it. When I first heard it, I thought it was just a cute, little tree you buy....it's not. It's a whole tree and if you get a small one, it just looks sad and looks like the guy didn't try very hard. Usually, the guys actually steal a tree from the forest with the help of their friends, and of course all of this is accompanied by beer. The guys drink beer during it, and then the girlfriend usually gives them free beer after. 

The tradition belonged to a bigger one called Mailehenbrauch which dates back to the 17th century. The girls in the village would be auctioned off, each pair becoming a may couple, and whoever paid the highest price was the May King and Queen.