What are some fun facts about Christmas in Germany?
What are some fun facts about Christmas in Germany? German families prepare for Christmas throughout cold December. Four Sundays before Christmas, they make an Advent wreath of fir or pine branches with four colored candles. They light a candle on the wreath each Sunday, sing Christmas songs, and eat Christmas cookies.
What are the holiday traditions in Germany?
Ten Beloved German Christmas Traditions
- Advent Calendar ( Adventskalendar) The Advent Calendar counts down the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve and is one of childhood’s greatest memories.
- Advent wreath ( Adventskranz) Many families in Germany put an Advent wreath on the living room table the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
- St. ...
What holidays do Germans celebrate?
Some days may be quiet days without being public holidays:
- Christmas Eve (beginning in the afternoon, in some states)
- Ash Wednesday (in Bavaria)
- Holy Thursday (in some states; in some of them beginning in the evening)
- Holy Saturday (in some states)
- All Souls' Day (in Lower Saxony and the Saarland)
What are the major German holidays?
Official Public German Holidays in 2021:
- New Year’s Day, January 1, Wednesday.
- Three Kings Day January 6, Monday.
- Fasching, February 15, Monday.
- Good Friday, April 2, Friday.
- Easter Monday, April 5, Monday.
- Labour Day, May 01, Saturday.
- Mother’s Day, May 9, Sunday.
- Ascension Day, May 13, Thursday.
- Father’s Day, May 13, Thursday.
- Whit Monday, May 23, Sunday.
Why does Germany have 3 days of Christmas?
Many nations celebrate the full 12 days of Christmas, through to the feast day of Epiphany, Three Kings Day, on January 6th. In Germany the twelfth day of Christmas is celebrated as Three King's Day (Dreikönigstag) and commemorates the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem to present their gifts to the infant Jesus.
Which countries have 2 Christmas days?
Many people in the Netherlands observe the second day of Christmas, which falls on December 26. It is a continuation of the Christmas holiday or a chance to spend time outdoors or with family or friends.
How Christmas is celebrated in Germany?
While 25th December is still a national holiday in Germany, it's celebrated differently to how we do in England. Traditionally, the family will gather around a heartwarming meal, attend church, children will play with their new toys and the white candle of the Advent wreath (the one in the middle) will be lit.
Why do Germans celebrate Christmas on the 24?
Oh, they do. So what is going on? Well, in Germany, it is on the Heiliger Abend (literally “Holy Evening”, Christmas Eve), or more commonly, Heiligabend or Weihnachtsabend, that Geschenke (presents) are ausgepackt (unwrapped). So on December 24, not December 25!
What are 3 countries that don't celebrate Christmas?
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, North Korea, Libya, Mauritania, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen do not recognize Christmas as a public holiday.
What is the 2nd day of Christmas in Germany?
Both December 25 and 26 are legal holidays in Germany and are known as the First and Second Christmas Day respectively. What originally started out as a church celebration of Christ's birth has gradually become a family celebration.
How long is Christmas in Germany?
Germany celebrates Christmas with two public holidays, 25 and 26 December. For many people, 24 December, Christmas Eve, is divided into a hectic morning and a festive evening.
What is Christmas in Germany called?
Christmas, or as the Germans call it – “Weihnachten” – is a busy time in Germany. Town streets and business offices are decorated with Christmas lights and branches of pine-needle and fir-needle trees.
What are 5 traditions in Germany?
Authentic German TraditionsSchultüte on the first day of school. The Schultüte is a traditional German gift that was established during the 19th century. ... Fireworks on New Year's Eve. ... Watching “Dinner For One' on New Year's Eve. ... Reinfeiern. ... Karneval. ... Tanz in den Mai. ... Tanzverbot. ... Tatort.
What is Santa called in Germany?
WeihnachtsmannTraditionally, Santa Claus, or Weihnachtsmann in German, does not drop down chimneys and deliver gifts the eve of Dec. 25 in Germany. Instead, the Christkind or Christkindl, an angel-like creature with blond hair and wings, brings gifts to families on the eve of Christmas.
What do Germans do on Dec 25?
Christmas Day is a public holiday in Germany on December 25. Many people spend the day with their family. Large meals with traditional foods are served and Christmas decorations are displayed. German Christmas decorations include nutcrackers, Christmas pyramids, and cribs.
What Colour is Santa in Germany?
The date when Nikolaus/Nicholas makes his appearance is December 6, known in German as Niklolaustag (Nicholas Day). Dressed like a bishop in a white garment, Nicholas usually arrives with a companion.
Which country celebrates Christmas twice a year?
On the surface of 13.812km2, different religious communities have resided for centuries, celebrating holidays together in peace and harmony. Visitors and tourists commonly get surprised when they learn that Montenegro celebrates two Christmases, one in December and one in January.
Are there 2 days of Christmas?
The time before Christmas is Advent. The 12 Days each traditionally celebrate a feast day for a saint and/or have different celebrations: Day 1 (25th December): Christmas Day - celebrating the Birth of Jesus. Day 2 (26th December also known as Boxing Day): St Stephen's Day.
Why are there 2 Christmas days in Australia?
It's pretty confusing if you really think about it, but Australians get to celebrate Christmas twice a year. Once on the traditional December 25th, and then once again in July. Although this sounds like blasphemy, the reason this is done is because December down under is anything but cold.
Does Russia celebrate Christmas twice?
Holiday traditions in Russia are a bit different from the western world. Most people in Russia celebrate Christmas twice! The first celebration is on the traditional Catholic date of December 25th, and then another on the ancient calendar of Julius Caesar, on January 7th.
How is Christmas celebrated in Germany?
Christmas in Germany is called Weihnachten, and it is a three day holiday. The main celebration is on Christmas Eve ( Heiligabend ), December 24th. Shops and offices are usually open until noon (unless it is a Sunday), and then everything closes up for a mainly silent and quiet time spent with family.
What is the Advent Season in Germany?
Christmas time in Germany officially starts already at the beginning of December with the Adventszeit. The advent season marks the four Sundays in December. Traditionally, every home has a decorative advent wreath ( Adventskranz) with four candles. On the first advent, the first Sunday, one candle gets litten. On the second advent, the second Sunday, a second candle gets lit, and so on. On Christmas itself, all four candles are giving light.
What do Germans put up?
Germans put up wooden nutcrackers ( Nußknacker ), Christmas pyramids ( Weihnachtspyramiden) that spin when its candles are lit, and of course, the famous Christmas tree ( Weihnachtsbaum ).
What is the most popular Christmas food in Germany?
Among the favorite German Christmas foods during the advent season are homemade Christmas cookies ( Plätzchen ), Stollen, the oldest known German Christmas sweet/cake, and gingerbread ( Lebkuchen ). During the advent season, a lot of traditional activities and decorations take place.
What is the Christmas mass in Germany?
Some families ( 29% of Germans) go to church in the afternoon of the 24th for a special Christmas mass ( Christmette ). In Germany, Christmas gifts are placed underneath the Christmas tree and opened on the 24th in the evening. Traditionally, Christmas gifts are brought by the Christkind (child of Christ). Santa Claus also exists in Germany and is simply called the Christmas man ( Weihnachtsmann ).
What is the second Sunday of Advent?
On the second advent, the second Sunday, a second candle gets lit, and so on. On Christmas itself, all four candles are giving light. A modern German Adventskranz. For children (and some adults as well 😉 ), the advent season resembles a countdown to Christmas, sweetened with an advent calendar ( Adventskalender ).
How many people in Germany have a Christmas tree?
Germany has about 41 million households, and in 2019 almost 30 million homes had their own Christmas tree. That shows that a whopping 73% of German homes have their own Christmas tree, which is always a real tree (only 22% put up a fake tree) and decorated with classic color-matching decorations and white lights.
Is Christmas Day a Public Holiday?
Christmas Day is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.
What are some good Christmas treats?
Traditional treats include: Plätzchen (flat biscuits covered in sugar frosting); Lebkuchen (gingerbread); Pfeffernüsse (gingerbread covered in sugar frosting and small candies); Stollen (a rich bread filled with dried fruit and a marzipan roll); and Spekulatius (small cookies flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices).
What do people eat on Christmas?
People generally spend Christmas Day with family members or close friends. Some attend church services and many sing traditional Christmas carols. A large meal is traditionally eaten in the afternoon or early evening. Typical dishes include: 1 Roast goose or duck stuffed with apples, chestnuts, onions or prunes. 2 Red cabbage with onions and apple. 3 Boiled potatoes. 4 Dumplings.
What is the most common way people spend Christmas?
People generally spend Christmas Day with family members or close friends. Some attend church services and many sing traditional Christmas carols. A large meal is traditionally eaten in the afternoon or early evening. Typical dishes include:
Where are the Christmas pyramids?
Schwibbogen (decorative arc-shaped candle holders) are displayed in the Ore Mountains in Saxony. Each candle holder is made of a single piece of wood or metal and holds more candles on top of an arc.
Is Christmas a public holiday in Germany?
Christmas Day is a public holiday in Germany. Post offices, banks, stores and businesses are closed . However, stores in some tourist areas may be open and stores at railway stations, airports and along highways are usually open.
What is the main meal at Christmas?
Carp or goose dishes are often served for the main Christmas meal. Stollen is a popular fruited yeast bread that is eaten at Christmas. Dresden has the most famous Christmas Stollen, but you can bake your own with little trouble and a few hours time. Christmas Stollen or Christstollen is full of nuts, raisins, and candied fruit. If made a few weeks in advance of serving it mellows and softens and is very good.
What is the most miraculous holiday in Germany?
The most miraculous children’s holiday in German-speaking countries is St. Nicholas Day, celebrated on December 6. This is the day when all obedient children get presents, mostly sweets, from St. Nikolaus, whose custom is to put them into the shoes, providently set outside the bedroom door. Germany (and most other countries) celebrates Christmas on ...
What is the most important holiday in the year?
Christmas is the most cheerful and important season of the year. The main night is Christmas Eve which takes place on December 24th. Families get together for a rich holiday dinner and to wait for Santa (“Weihnachtsmann”) who brings the presents that night.
What is the oldest tradition in Germany?
Christmas is one of the most powerful and certainly oldest traditions in human history. Holiday celebrations in Germany start in earnest with the beginning of Advent. On that day children get to open the first of the 24 doors of their Adventskalender.
What are the colors of Christmas in Germany?
Town streets and business offices are decorated with Christmas lights and branches of pine-needle and fir-needle trees. Everything appears in red and dark green – the colors of “Weihnachten” in Germany. Houses are usually scarcely decorated.
What is Germany known for?
Germany is well-known for its Christmas Markets where all sorts of Christmas foods and decorations are sold. Perhaps the most famous German decorations are glass ornaments. The glass ornaments were originally hand-blown glass and were imported in the USA in 1880s by the Woolworth stores. The legend of the glass ‘Christmas Pickle’ is famous in ...
What is the tradition of the star singers?
Another tradition is the Sternsinger (or star singers) who go from house to house, sing a song and collect money for charity (this is a predominantly Catholic tradition). The singers are normally four children, three who dress up like the Wise men and one carries a star on a stick as a symbol for the Star of Bethlehem.
What is the German drink called?
Germans enjoy a potent drink called the Feuerzangenbowle for Christmas. The beautiful creation is made using a combination of rum and mulled wine. Once mixed, the drink is set on fire. No German will celebrate Christmas without a hot mug of mulled wine. Christmas markets all over Germany sell mulled wine in ceramic mugs. The importance of mulled wine is spreading Christmas cheer and staying warm during the cold winter months.
Why didn't Johannes go to high school?
He never went to high school because he was privately tutored due to the financial status of his prominent German family. The movie is about all of the tricks and mischevious actions of Johannes and his classmates. Not only has the Feuerzangenbowle become a popular Christmas tradition among German students, but it is also a new tradition for many German families as well.
What is the most popular Christmas treat in Germany?
One of the most popular Christmas treats in Germany is called Lebkuchen. The treat is similar to gingerbread and made with numerous spices, honey and nuts. Lebkuchen can be made with icing, be spicy, sweet, hard or soft. Christmas messages are often written on the delicacy. In addition to being sold at Christmas, Lebkuchen is also available at German souvenir shops, festivals and fairs.
How do people celebrate Krampus Night?
Some parts of Germany celebrate Krampus Night. Strong men wear furry coats, devil masks and demonic garb while going from house to house. When the parents let them into the house, they try to scare the children to ensure they behave well. A misbehaving male teenager may be gripped by the hands and feet and dragged outside. The teenager is then dunked in the snow a few times to the enjoyment of the siblings. Krampus and all of the devils then celebrate the night at the local pub.
What is the German Christmas cake called?
The traditional German Christmas cake is called stollen. The cake is made with spices, flour, nuts and dried, candied or chopped fruits. Powdered sugar is then sprinkled on the confection. Some people add zest. Some Germans have a celebration with the focus on Christmas stollen.
Why did Martin Luther put candles on his Christmas tree?
This was when he placed little wax candles on his Christmas tree as a representation of the moon.
What are Advent wreaths made of?
Wreaths are usually made from either pine or fir branches with four candles placed in the center. Every Sunday, the family lights a candle. The family enjoys Christmas cookies and sings special holiday songs. As each day passes, the children open another flap on the Advent calendar. Each flap reveals a new Christmas scene. The families bake spicy cookies, sweet bread and cakes with candied fruit as the filling.
Is Christmas Day A Public Holiday?
What Do People do?
- People generally spend Christmas Day with family members or close friends. Some attend church services and many sing traditional Christmas carols. A large meal is traditionally eaten in the afternoon or early evening. Typical dishes include: 1. Roast goose or duck stuffed with apples, chestnuts, onions or prunes. 2. Red cabbage with onions and apple. 3. Boiled potatoes. 4. Dumpl…
Public Life
- Christmas Day is a public holiday in Germany. Post offices, banks, stores and businesses are closed. However, stores in some tourist areas may be open and stores at railway stations, airports and along highways are usually open. There are some restrictions on selling alcohol, public performances and dancing. Public transport services may run as usu...
Symbols
- Traditional Christmas decorations include: 1. Christmas trees. 2. Small candles or electric lights. 3. Wooden nutcrackers. 4. Incense burners in various shapes. 5. Cribs with figures representing Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the shepherds and the three wise men. 6. Gingerbread houses decorated with sweets. 7. Christmas pyramids (three-dimensional scenes that are turned by a fan driven b…
About Christmas Day in Other Countries
- While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.