German Christmas Traditions and Cultural Practices

FromJapan to Germany, nations around the globe possess their distinct customs and traditions revolving around the Christmas season. Spending the holiday season away from your homeland might seem intimidating, but you can be confident in discovering new ways to celebrate wherever you are. If you find yourself in Germany, you’re in for a delightful experience. Explore the Christmas heritage and customs of Germany to learn how to celebrate.

Christmas Markets

With the arrival of the festive season in Germany, marvelous Christmas markets come to life. You can find a variety of delightful gifts, handmade crafts, and delectable goodies, such as stollen, roasted almonds, or lebkuchen — a type of gingerbread — all in one location. The Christkindlmarkt, known in German, are set up throughout the nation starting in early December (or sometimes even earlier), offering entertainment for both kids and adults. Alongside numerous stalls offering fresh, genuine German delicacies and gorgeous items, you’ll encounter Christmas choirs, brass bands, and an abundance of holiday spirit. If you need help picking a Christmas market, take a look at the10 best European Christmas markets.

St. Nicholas Day

In Germany, the Christmas festivities span the entire month, with various celebrations leading up to Christmas Day itself. The season officially commences on December 6th, Nikolaustag, or the Feast of Saint Nicholas. Kids adore this fun, distinctive celebration. On the night before Nikolaustag, children place a boot, or a Nikolausstiefel next to the front door for St. Nick. During the night, while the little ones are asleep, Nikolaus visits each home to leave candy in the boot or shoe. Nikolaus has a long, white beard, red and white robes, and a golden staff, resembling Santa Claus in the US but with stronger religious influences.

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Advent Season

Leading up to Weihnachten, the German term for Christmas, many families in Germany partake in the advent season. During this time, families arrange an Advent wreath, or Adventskranz on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. This year’s advent season will kick off on December 2nd, 2018, when families display a wreath adorned with four candles, lighting one each Sunday until Christmas Day. Many children also use an Advent calendar, similar to the tradition in the United States. Each day during the Advent season, children open the doors on the calendar to reveal a chocolate treat.

The Christmas Tree

Indeed, Germans also put up this quintessential symbol of Christmas. In fact, Christmas trees in Germany date back to the 17th century in Strasbourg, in the Alsace region. Originally, the German fir trees were decorated with roses, apples, colorful paper, and candies. If you’re curious about diving into some Christmas history, learn more about the first trees and theorigins and history of Christmas trees. Tannenbaum, as it’s called in German, is typically set up on the afternoon of December 24th, just in time for Christmas day. The most popular way to acquire a Christmas tree, also called Weihnachtsbaum, is by heading into the forest to chop down your perfect tree yourself.

Christmas Eve

Once the tree is up, families across Germany prepare for Christmas Eve, known as Heiligabend. While in the US, families have a grand feast and exchange presents on the 25th, in Germany, these festivities occur on the 24th. German families gather for a large meal, typically featuring traditional German frankfurters, as well as fish, fondue, and sometimes, raclette. Holiday meals differ worldwide, and Germany’s are certainly noteworthy. Religious families attend mass earlier in the day, where children perform in a krippenspiel, or nativity play.

After church and dinner, families sit down to exchange presents. Gift-giving is so significant, it has its own term: Bescherung. But don’t think you can dive right into unwrapping presents. German children must wait until they hear a small bell ringing to signal that Christkind, baby Christ, or Weihnachtsmann, St. Nicholas, has left the house.

Christmas Day

Although not as widely celebrated as Christmas Eve, Christmas Day in Germany is still brimming with festivities. The family gathers for a Christmas Day feast, typically including lamb, goose, chicken, fondue, and other delightful dishes.

About the Guest Author
Zack is a former technical recruiter who swapped his corporate attire in Silicon Valley for a love of salsa music and a writing career in Medellin, Colombia. When not writing for AllTheRooms, the world’s premier vacation rental search engine, you can find Zack absorbed in a book, exploring nature, or getting highly competitive while watching Jeopardy.