In this part of our Christmas Around the World blog post series, we take you to Germany to see how Germans celebrate Christmas.
Christmas in Germany: Traditions
Christmas traditions are rich and plentiful in Germany, and quite different from Christmas traditions in the US. It starts off, that Santa Claus, or St. Nikolaus, as Germans call him, comes already on December 6th and he brings a bag with nuts, oranges, sweets and little presents, as well as a golden book with him. He then gives the children in the house a lecture about their behavior and if they were nice, he leaves the bag behind. However, parents tell their children, when they were naughty, St. Nikolaus will take them in his bag.
On December first, every child in Germany, but nowadays also quite a few adults, get a Christmas Calendar. It marks the days until Christmas and every time they open a little door on the calendar, the kids get some chocolate or a small gift.
All throughout December, you can find Christmas markets in all the German cities and villages, selling snacks, Christmas decoration, and little presents. People love to meet up with friends at the Christmas markets to chat and warm up with some Glühwein on a cold winter day.
In Germany, Christmas is family oriented and is celebrated for 3 days. The main celebration is on December 24th, on Christmas Eve usually with the immediate family. The story goes, that a Christmas angel called Christkind goes from house to house and and decorates the Christmas tree and leaves the presents. On the 25th and 26th, you visit your extended family and relatives to celebrate, eat, and sing Christmas carols.
Christmas in Germany: Decorations
Germans love to decorate their houses for Christmas. They decorate trees and bushes with lights in the yard, and put up beautifully carved candle holders in the windows. As the majority of people in Germany are Christians, many families also have an Advent Wreath, which was invented by a German, with the 4 candles, and of course the Christmas tree, which is usually put up on the 24th.
Christmas in Germany: Food
Christmas would not be Christmas in Germany without some of the traditional Christmas dishes and drinks. Due to the cold weather, people love Glühwein, a warm red wine mixed with Christmas spices, to warm up. During the weeks before Christmas, people bake special Christmas cookies and love to eat Christstollen, a loaf shaped fruit cake with sugar icing. On Christmas Eve, most families keep it simple in regards to food, as the decoration of the tree and all the other preparations take up quite some time. So the traditional dish for Christmas Eve is potato salad and Frankfurter sausages. Simple, but good!
Christmas in Germany: Songs
Some of you might be surprised about how familiar the German Christmas carols sound. A lot of the Christmas carols that are popular in the US, for example the all time favorite “Silent Night” are actually German songs that were translated into English. But the best indicator that the Christmas season has begun is when you hear “Last Christmas” by Wham! on the radio. This song is repeated excessively and by the time Christmas is over, people are glad as they don’t have to listen to this song anymore.
Christmas in Germany: Presents
So far, the Christmas traditions were quite different from the American traditions during the Holidays, but when it comes to Christmas presents, it is actually pretty similar. In Germany there are no stockings and gifts are brought by the Christkind not Santa Claus, but the type of gifts are very similar to what people give and receive in the US.
German Christmas is very traditional and festive and the snow and cold weather give it a very special atmosphere. German traditions are very neat and put you in the right mood for the Holidays!
