German Christmas Traditions

Christmas Markets have been a fixture in Germany for hundreds of years! Learn more about them here.

Heading to a German Christmas Market? Are you wondering what to expect? What are the best things to buy? Check out our list…. Christmas Markets in Germany have a special magic… and visiting them on a Rhine Cruise makes them even better! Looking for Cookies, chocolates, and all sorts of other German goodies? Because… a German Christmas requires German Chocolate…. Find your favorites HERE. I love the Schmidt Tins… not only do you get delicious cookies, you get a collectible tin! They make great gifts for anyone on your list… find them here. Maybe you want to download the words of your favorite songs?

• “Oh Tannenbaum”.
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Or you need a songbook for the family… find them HERE. The Authentic German decorations are made to be heirlooms… not just something you toss in a box, or replace next year.

A busy Christmas market

They cost more, but the quality is worth it. Again… less is more. German Wooden Christmas Pyramids! And some interesting History. Straw Ornaments are beautiful decorations made of Humble ingredients. Nutcrackers have been guarding German Households for years. Learn more about these nut-loving soldiers HERE. Learn more about their history, and find them HERE. More than just an amusement… these smokers keep the house smelling nice, and ward off evil spirits. Moravian Stars are a beautiful decoration… that started as a math lesson!

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• German Christmas Traditions- Celebrate a German Christmas Anywhere.

Find some for yourself here. This little Angel Orchestra has been part of my world for years… learn more about the Wendt and Kuhn Angels here. Advent Season in Germany. German Holidays and Festivals. Read here about the best German Christmas markets to visit.

The festive season is started with the Advent celebrations in preparation to the arrival of baby Jesus on Christmas day. Typically, families decorate an Advent wreath with four red candles.

On every Advent Sunday, one more candle is lit until all candles are alight to announce the imminent birth of Christ. The first door is opened on the 1st December until the last and often biggest door is opened on the 24th of December. In Germany, the calendar has 24 doors as Christmas celebrations already start on Christmas eve! On the 6th of December, families celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. They come to ask the children if they have been good all year and also bring small gifts to the good children and to reprimand the naughty ones. Usually this is a merry and festive occasion celebrated with friends and family and Christmas carols are sung.

Children are often asked to prepare and recite a poem for St Nicholas on that evening. Be prepared and f ind some popular - and easy to learn - English Christmas poems here. Children also put their shoes, stockings or plates outside, so if Saint Nicholas does not come into the house, he still can leave some fruits, nuts and sweets for the children. Many Germans display a traditional wooden Christmas pyramid in their living room. This pyramid is actually a little carousel with Angels and a nativity scene, that stand on several levels and spin.

The carousel spins with the help of lit candles that through the heat of their flames set the mechanism in motion. The tradition of using Christmas pyramids originated in the area of the German ore mountains 'Erzgebirge' in eastern Germany and dates back to the middle ages and is thus a much older tradition than the use of decorated Christmas trees.

Did you know that the nativity scene display with a crib filled with straw, originally stems from Italy and is now common in many countries around the world. See more on Christmas in Italy here. The Christmas tree in the living room is put up usually only on the morning of Christmas Eve.

Christmas in Germany

Germans also mainly use real, freshly cut fir or pine trees, that are sold in all sizes at most shops during the last days before Christmas. However, houses and gardens are decorated with festive lights throughout the festive season, just the tree comes last! On Christmas Eve, often only little food is eaten during the day as this is a fast day. After mass, families celebrate at home, lighting the candles or lights on their Christmas tree for the first time.

According to tradition, the 'Christkind' Christ child will place the wrapped gifts and parcels under the Christmas tree whilst young children usually are not allowed to enter the living room before the celebrations in the evening.

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So the little ones are usually very excited when they finally are called to come into the living room where they then can admire the shiningly decorated Christmas tree lit and the gifts under the tree. Families usually read the Christmas story together and sing Christmas carols on that evening and later enjoy a meal and eating traditional 'Christmas stollen', a traditional German Christmas cake with raisins.

On the 6th of January, children and teenagers, dressed as the 'Three Wise Men', will go from house to house to sing carols, pray and 'bless' the houses and to collect money for a good cause. Usually this group of singers 'Sternsinger' in German meaning 'singers or followers of the star' is organised by the local Catholic church communities. Image Sources for Christmas in Germany: Back to Christmas Around the World. And here they are! In our selection of 10 wonderful Christmas Poems for Kids you will find many family's favorite poems. Which one is your favourite?

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