What is a typical Ashkenazi Seder like?

Question

Inspired by the comments here, I realized how little I know about what other customs' Sedarim are like. As an Ashkenazi, I'd only ever participated in Ashkenazi Sedarim. Surely there are those who similarly had never been to an Ashkenazi Seder.

On behalf of such people, what is a typical Ashkenazi (central European) Seder like? What sorts of minhagim are widely practiced uniquely in Ashkenazi communities?

Particularly those who have attended both Ashkenazi Sedarim and other traditions: what were some of the main differences you saw?

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Answer 1

It's difficult to answer such a question without knowing more about other communities' customs, but let me attempt this based on the little that I do know...

• Typically, Ashkenazim tend to eat specifically potatoes or parsley dipped in salt water for Karpas, rather than a different vegetable, a different dip, or a different way to get the kids to ask. Apparently this one varies widely even within Ashkenazi communities.
• Ashkenazim say the paragraph discussing how Korech is a remembrance of the Karban Pesach in the times of the Beis HaMikdash according to Hillel, which I'm aware many communities omit.
• The paragraph beginning "Yehalelucha" is said before Hallel HaGadol, rather than later, with Nishmas.
• Ashkenazim have a much more extensive list of songs in Nirtzah than other communities, as far as I can tell; how many of these songs are actually sung seem to vary by the family. Some in my community are careful to sing every single one, while in my household Chasal Siddur Pesach, Chad Gadya, and Echad Mi Yodeya are the only ones we're particular about, and we add others based on how awake we are at that point.