Christmas Traditions in German-Speaking Countries 🎄🇩🇪🇦🇹🇨🇭

How Germany, Austria, and Switzerland Celebrate Weihnachten

Few places capture the spirit of Christmas like the German-speaking world. From candlelit Adventskranz wreaths to bustling Weihnachtsmärkte, and from the scent of Glühwein to the sound of Stille Nacht, Christmas in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is filled with charm, warmth, and centuries-old customs.

Whether you’re a language learner, traveller, or culture enthusiast, exploring these festive traditions will deepen your understanding of how people in the German-speaking world celebrate die schönste Zeit des Jahres — the most wonderful time of the year.

🕯️ Advent: The Beginning of the Christmas Season

Christmas in the German-speaking world doesn’t start on December 24 — it begins four weeks earlier with der Advent. This period of quiet preparation and reflection leads up to Christmas Eve (Heiligabend).

German Term	English Translation
der Adventskranz	Advent wreath (with four candles)
der Adventskalender	Advent calendar
die Adventszeit	Advent season
das Adventslied	Advent song

Example sentences:

• Jeden Sonntag im Advent wird eine weitere Kerze am Adventskranz angezündet.– Every Sunday in Advent, another candle on the wreath is lit.

• Kinder öffnen jeden Tag ein Türchen im Adventskalender.– Children open a small door on their Advent calendar every day.

Cultural note: The Adventskranz (Advent wreath) tradition originated in northern Germany in the 19th century. Today, every home, school, and church has one — each candle representing one of the four Sundays before Christmas.

👞 St. Nicholas Day (Nikolaustag) – 6 December

On the night of 5 December, children across Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland polish their boots and place them by the door. Overnight, der Nikolaus (St. Nicholas) fills them with sweets, nuts, and fruit — but naughty children might find only a stick from Knecht Ruprecht or Krampus!

German Term	English Translation
der Nikolaus	St. Nicholas
der Stiefel	boot
die Süßigkeiten	sweets
der Knecht Ruprecht / der Krampus	St. Nicholas’s helper (sometimes a frightening figure)

Example sentences:

• Am Nikolausabend stellen Kinder ihre Stiefel vor die Tür.– On St. Nicholas Eve, children put their boots in front of the door.

• Der Nikolaus bringt Geschenke, aber der Krampus erschreckt unartige Kinder!– St. Nicholas brings gifts, but Krampus scares naughty children!

Cultural differences:

• In southern Germany and Austria, Krampuslauf parades feature people dressed as terrifying Krampuses.

• In Switzerland, Samichlaus visits homes accompanied by a donkey and helper Schmutzli.

🎁 Christmas Eve (Heiligabend) and Christmas Day

The main celebration in German-speaking countries happens on the evening of 24 December — Heiligabend. Families decorate their Christmas tree (der Weihnachtsbaum), exchange gifts (die Bescherung), and enjoy festive meals together.

German Term	English Translation
der Heiligabend	Christmas Eve
die Bescherung	gift exchange
der Weihnachtsbaum	Christmas tree
die Krippe	nativity scene
das Christkind	Christ Child (gift-bringer in southern regions)
der Weihnachtsmann	Father Christmas (north and central Germany)

Example sentences:

• Am Heiligabend findet die Bescherung unter dem Weihnachtsbaum statt.– On Christmas Eve, gifts are exchanged under the Christmas tree.

• In Bayern bringt das Christkind die Geschenke, nicht der Weihnachtsmann.– In Bavaria, the Christ Child brings the presents, not Father Christmas.

Cultural note:In Austria and southern Germany, it’s das Christkind (a golden-haired angelic figure) who delivers presents, while northern Germans wait for den Weihnachtsmann — a Santa Claus-like figure.

🎶 Singing and Carolling (Weihnachtslieder singen)

Music is at the heart of German Christmas traditions. Families sing classic carols such as Stille Nacht, O Tannenbaum, and Leise rieselt der Schnee after dinner or before opening presents.

German	English
das Weihnachtslied	Christmas carol
singen	to sing
die Musik / die Melodie	music / melody
die Kirche	church

Example sentences:

• Nach dem Essen singen wir gemeinsam Weihnachtslieder.– After dinner, we sing Christmas songs together.

• In der Kirche erklingt „O du fröhliche“ jedes Jahr am 24. Dezember.– In church, “O du fröhliche” is sung every year on 24 December.

🡒 Explore our full post on German Christmas carols and songs to learn their meanings and lyrics.

🧑‍🍳 Food and Festivities (Weihnachtsessen und Traditionen)

No Christmas is complete without traditional food. While menus vary regionally, some dishes appear on tables from Munich to Zurich.

German	English
die Weihnachtsgans	roast goose
der Karpfen	carp
der Rotkohl	red cabbage
die Klöße / Knödel	dumplings
der Stollen	Christmas fruit bread
die Plätzchen	biscuits
der Glühwein	mulled wine

Example sentences:

• Zu Weihnachten essen viele Familien Gans mit Rotkohl und Klößen.– At Christmas, many families eat goose with red cabbage and dumplings.

• Zum Nachtisch gibt es Stollen und Weihnachtsplätzchen.– For dessert, there’s Stollen and Christmas cookies.

🡒 You can explore these dishes in our post on Christmas foods in German-speaking countries.

🎡 Christmas Markets (Weihnachtsmärkte)

From late November, towns and cities transform into winter wonderlands. Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets) are where locals and tourists alike enjoy festive foods, handmade gifts, and seasonal music.

German	English
der Weihnachtsmarkt	Christmas market
der Stand	market stall
der Glühwein	mulled wine
die gebrannten Mandeln	roasted almonds
die Lichter	lights

Example sentences:

• Auf dem Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt gibt es über hundert Stände.– The Nuremberg Christmas Market has over a hundred stalls.

• Der Duft von Zimt und Glühwein liegt in der Luft.– The smell of cinnamon and mulled wine fills the air.

🡒 Discover what to eat and drink at the markets in our post on German Christmas Market Foods You Must Try.

🎆 New Year’s Eve (Silvester) and Epiphany (Dreikönigstag)

The festive season doesn’t end on Christmas Day. Germans celebrate Silvester (New Year’s Eve) with fireworks, Sekt (sparkling wine), and good-luck symbols like marzipan pigs (das Marzipanschwein) or chimney sweeps (der Schornsteinfeger).

In Catholic regions, Christmas officially ends on Dreikönigstag (Epiphany, 6 January), when die Sternsinger (children dressed as the Three Kings) go door to door singing and collecting donations.

German	English
Silvester	New Year’s Eve
das Feuerwerk	fireworks
das Marzipanschwein	marzipan pig (good-luck charm)
der Dreikönigstag	Epiphany
die Sternsinger	carol-singing children dressed as kings

Example sentences:

• An Silvester schießen die Leute Feuerwerksraketen in den Himmel.– On New Year’s Eve, people shoot fireworks into the sky.

• Am Dreikönigstag gehen die Sternsinger von Haus zu Haus.– On Epiphany, the carol singers go from house to house.

🎓 Learn German Through Christmas Culture

Learning about Christmas traditions is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore German-speaking culture. You’ll pick up authentic vocabulary, cultural context, and even phrases used only during Weihnachten.

To go beyond reading and start speaking confidently, join Olesen Tuition, the top-rated German language school in London, offering:

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Whether you’re lighting an Adventskranz, singing Stille Nacht, or sipping Glühwein at a Christmas market, embracing German Christmas traditions is a wonderful way to deepen both your cultural appreciation and your command of the language.

Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr!Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!