There’s absolutely no need or obligation to splurge on gifts for each and every guest. If you are unsure then play safe by getting a nice souvenir or a travel book related to your native country. Most of us already have these spices sitting in the pantry, but you can order mulling spices for your homemade Glühwein here! These mugs typically have the name of the market and year engraved on them. In the morning, they’re filled with candy and small gifts from St. Nicholas, not the commercialised Santa that most Western countries see. This website uses very minimal ads (if at all)! Germans even have a name for it – “Gemütlichkeit”. The Advent calendar is an important countdown to Christmas for German children. Hence it’s all about feeling and making one look warm and comfortable. In Germany, Santa Claus is known as Weihnachtsmann. Many traditional baked goods can only be found during the Christmas season. Don’t forget to wash all the tasty German Christmas market food with a warm mug of Glühwein or Feuerzangenbowle or a good old Kinderpunsch (for non-alcohol drinkers). Some even say it is a magical night when animals can speak. The different Christmas traditions reflect the diversity that exists inside the European Union. In Germany, Advent is celebrated on the four Sundays before Christmas. The following years we just got artificial trees that can be used every year. Christmas is celebrated over two and a half days in Germany – 24th December: Christmas Eve aka Heiligabend,; 25th December: Christmas Day aka Erste Weihnachtstag and; 26th December: Boxing Day aka Zweite Weihnachtstag; Christmas Eve is more significant than the rest of the festive days. Historically, German families decorated their homes with evergreen branches during Christmas. You have to visit a German Christmas market at least once to enjoy all that mouthwatering German street food – locally sourced grilled sausages (Bratwürst), fried fish in a bread roll (Backfisch), beefsteak in a bread roll (Rostbrätel) or good ol’ Currywürst. When I lived with a German host family in high school, we went to a Christmas tree farm a day or two before Christmas Eve to pick out a tree. Kids await impatiently to open their presents all day. Some will bring it out during the first week of December and burn one … Hailing from the Erzgebirge, the mountain range between Saxony and the Czech Republic, these cute carved wooden figurines depict angels in a variety of poses, often playing their musical instruments. Germany has been my home for several years. Many families prepare an Advent wreath with four candles and seasonal greenery. German Freelancer Taxes – VAT, Steuer-ID, Freelance Tax ID Explained, Christmas Traditions in Germany – Adventszeit, Christkind, Feuerzangenbowle, Heiligabend et al Explained. They are put up on Christmas trees and all around the house at Christmas time. Thankfully in Germany, they have a much more delectable holiday Christmas tradition: stollen. In Slovenia, Christmas begins with a special meal on 13 November for lots of people. The Christmas angels are most commonly made of wood, and are often seen playing their musical instruments. However, the German Christmas traditions began to diversify with the arrival of the Christkind. Entire families, sometimes even three to four generations, come together to bake typical German Christmas cookies. You don’t always have to go out in the cold to enjoy a mug of this aromatic drink. These Christmas traditions and rituals are quintessentially German. Saving the best for last, one of the most anticipated German Christmas traditions is the Christmas dinner! Thank you for your support to help keep this platform growing! The Feuerzangenbowle is an immensely potent German Christmas beverage that is as much a feast for the taste buds as for the eyes. In Southern Bavaria, men in hideous Krampus costumes patrol the streets on St Nicholas Night, and are sometimes invited in by parents of particularly naughty children. Consider it a sort of fruitcake/hot cross bun hybrid. Heilige Nacht! All eyes are fixed on the balcony of the 14th-century Frauenkirche – when Nuremberg’s most important figure of the German Christmas custom makes an appearance – the Christ Child. As for the rest, you can buy the most popular version of Stollen – Dresdner Stollen, at any German supermarket. Dessert typically includes Christmas Stollen, Bratäpfel, Lebkuchen, or Käsekuchen. Cuisine is a pillar of German Christmas tradition, dating back many centuries and, especially where baked goods are concerned, heavily influencing the way the rest of the world eats this time of year. Instead, German Santa’s favourite mode of transport is a white horse. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. St. Nikolaus Day is one of the most popular German Christmas traditions. Then there is a Christmas mass at midnight. As mentioned earlier, Germany exchange Christmas presents on the evening of 24th December i.e. This book will take you on a journey through many German Christmas traditions filled with happy childhood memories. Nevertheless, it is a very special day for German kids. So this was my little long-ass overview of German Christmas traditions. However, keep your hopes up and keep an eye on the local news to see if something changes in your city. Some of the ornaments may even be precious family heirlooms, handed down from generation to generation. An advent wreath is another typical German Christmas custom. You can easily order a sturdy reusable lush green Christmas tree on Amazon. In Germany, the Christmas traditions begin on Christmas Eve and continue until Christmas night, when a big dinner is prepared for family and friends. This main dish is accompanied by German delicacies such as apple and sausage stuffing, red cabbage and potato dumplings. The traditional Christmas meal features duck, goose, rabbit or a roast. The wreath consists of four candles in a bed of pine cones, berries, dried flowers and Christmas ornaments. Christmas post offices (Weihnachtspostamt) or Christmas post branches (Weihnachtspostfiliale) are a real thing in Germany. Carp is also eaten in some parts of the country. What to Expect? For those with a major sweet tooth, there is an endless variety of candied fruits, sweets, confections, roasted nuts and a large assortment of German baked products. A festively decorated tree simply does not look complete without a glorious top. Here, the traditions—large and small—you can incorporate into your own celebrations this year. can send your Christmas wishlist to Weihnachtsmann at this address: An den Weihnachtsmann Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Lebkuchen is another special German Christmas treat. In parts of Germany, Christmas cheer continues until January 6th, which is the day of a religious feast known as Epiphany or Das Dreikönigsfest (‘three kings festival’). Note: At the time of writing this article Christmas markets all over Germany have been cancelled due to COVID19. This market is a traditional Christmas market held every year in the old town of the city. Feuerzangenbowle is another spectacular German Christmas drink, that has become a popular German Christmas tradition in recent decades. Nothing! Germans typically reuse the ornaments from the past years instead of buying new ones each season. He and his 20 helpers will be answering children’s letters until Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, Christkindlmarkt has been cancelled in 2020 because of COVID19, but here you can see a video of 2019’s opening of the market by the Christkind 2019/2020, Benigna Munsi. Germans exchange Christmas presents on this evening instead of 25th December. Many German families set up an Advent wreath, or Adventskranz on the first Advent Sunday (the fourth before Christmas) to mark the beginning of the Advent season. However, the biggest star of the Christmas markets is ***drumrolls*** the street food! If you’d like to try Feuerzangenbowle at home, here is an easy recipe. He brings presents on the 24th of December. But this is just one type of Christmas tree topper. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Opt in to receive freebies and downloadables by https://mademoisellein.de/. Expect to see thousands of these in any Christmas market in Germany. Often, children dressed as the Magi go from house to house and sing songs (hence the term Sternsinger, or ‘star singer’) requesting donations towards various children’s causes. The wreath consists of four candles in a bed of pine cones, berries, dried flowers and Christmas ornaments. It takes a great deal of time and effort to keep this platform running and I would highly appreciate your support. Clearly, he is a spoiled one! Don’t forget to get yourself the special Feuerzangenbowle set. Your email address will not be published. Hey guys, this website uses cookies to improve your experience. Every November, thousands of kids from all over the world write to Santa in German and 15 other languages. For the parents, you could take wine or delicacy from your region. The celebrations reach their height on Christmas Eve. A traditional German Advent wreath is made out of fir or pine branches with four coloured candles in the centre – one for each of the Advent Sundays. Don’t forget to leave a message so I can thank you! Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. 26th December is a public holiday in Germany. Krampus the devil is sort of a sidekick of St Nicholas. During the lighting of the candle, many families sing Christmas carols and eat cookies or a piece of Christmas bread. Though the most important ingredients of Christmas across the world are the same – festive cheer, family time and delicious food – each country has its own special way of celebrating this magical festival. Your kids (or you!) Nowadays you will see table-sized pyramids for your living room Christmas decor to large full-sized pyramids in the German Christmas markets. Survival Guide of an Indian Expat in Germany. The modern German Advent calendars come in all shapes and sizes and for any taste or hobby. If you are the DIY type, it is pretty easy to make at home with some red wine and mulling spices. Dessert typically includes Christmas Stollen, considered one of the best Christmas pastries … For close friends, family or SO, personalised coffee mugs, holiday or year photo books, photo calendars are also very popular Christmas presents in Germany. The song was first played in 1818 during the Christmas celebration at a little church in Austria called … Christmas Eve is more significant than the rest of the festive days. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. 6th December. This classic German Christmas beverage consists of heated red wine with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, star anise and orange slices. Nuremberg’s Christkindlmarkt (Nürnberger christkindlmarkt). Click on my mugshot to read my expat story. The evening before, children are asked to polish their boots and leave them outside of their front door. The most famous German song for Christmas is called Stille Nacht! A light starter such as soup is quite common as the first course. As a general rule, you want to focus on bringing gifts that have something to do with the personal interests of your SO’s family. It is also one of the best known German Christmas customs for a Christkind to open the Christkindlmarkt in Nuremberg each year. As in many other Christian countries, Christmas is the most special time of the year in Germany. Boxing Day Sale is a relatively new trend in Germany. You can also find calendars with puzzles and games, gadgets, makeup collections, tea assortments, spices or snacks, and whatnot. It’s such a special time of year and the magic atmosphere of December and the holiday season gets to everyone. The traditional German Advent calendar used to consist of plain 24 windows that opened to reveal Christmas scenes. Different families have different traditions when it comes to Adventskranz. Glühwein is a staple at most German Christmas markets. Christmas angels are the most loved Christmas ornaments in Germany. . You can totally enjoy it in the comfort of your cosy living room. One of the most loved pre-Christmas traditions in Germany is baking cookies, so called Plätzchen backen. Though Santa Claus has also become popular in Germany, St Nicholas is much more important than his American counterpart. Made with ❤️ by DE:HYPE Marketing. Not really. On the night of December 5, children clean and polish their boots and leave them outside the door before going to sleep. Officially Christmas in Germany is celebrated on 24th and 25th December, however, most Germans anticipate and prepare for Christmas throughout December. Especially in the southern parts of Germany, the Christkind is the one responsible for the presents underneath the Christmas tree. Over 2,500 Christmas markets across Germany invite visitors to enjoy the Christmas mood, food and drinks. German Christmas markets commonly feature a nativity scene, little petting zoo, and some rides for kids. There are plenty of different recipes, but the most popular way of making these cookies is to stir a simple traditional cookie dough and then cut out christmassy figures … Scarves and fluffy warm socks are lovely presents for acquaintances or family members that you don’t know that well. 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