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🎄 German Christmas Idioms, Sayings & Festive Expressions

Jens Olesen
5 hours ago
4 min read

A Guide to Festive German Vocabulary You’ll Hear Every December

German has a wonderful ability to capture feelings, traditions, and seasonal moods in short, expressive phrases. At Christmas time, festliche Redewendungen (festive expressions) start appearing everywhere — in shops, on social media, in conversations, and even in workplace emails.

If you’re learning German, mastering these idioms will help you sound natural, culturally aware, and delightfully festive. They also offer insight into how German speakers experience die Weihnachtszeit (the Christmas season).

In this post, you’ll learn:

Popular German Christmas idioms and sayings
What they mean, how to use them, and why Germans love them
Mini cultural notes and example sentences
A festive vocabulary bank to boost your December German

Let’s dive into the most charming expressions you’ll hear zwischen den Jahren…

1. „Es weihnachtet sehr.”

Literally: “It’s Christmas-ing a lot.”

Meaning: “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”

This poetic phrase captures the growing atmosphere of Christmas — lights going up, markets opening, festive smells in the air. Germans use it when they feel the first signs of Christmas magic arriving.

Examples:

Es weihnachtet sehr — überall hängen Lichterketten und Sterne.→ It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — fairy lights and stars are everywhere.
Sobald der erste Schnee fällt, weihnachtet es sehr.→ As soon as the first snow falls, it really starts to feel Christmassy.

When to use it: Perfect for early December or whenever the mood turns festive — at work, on Instagram, or while strolling through a Weihnachtsmarkt.

2. „Der Weihnachtsstress“

Literally: “The Christmas stress.”

Meaning: The hectic rush leading up to Christmas.

German has a word for everything — including the craziness before Christmas. Der Weihnachtsstress refers to the pressure of buying gifts, baking, organising family gatherings, writing cards, preparing food, and finishing work before the holidays.

Examples:

Ich freue mich auf Weihnachten, aber der Weihnachtsstress macht mich jedes Jahr fertig!→ I love Christmas, but the Christmas stress exhausts me every year!
Wegen des Weihnachtsstresses gehe ich dieses Wochenende nicht einkaufen.→ Because of Christmas stress, I’m not going shopping this weekend.

When to use it: Any time from mid-December onward — especially when commiserating with others about how busy everything suddenly feels.

Fun cultural note: Germans take Advent seriously as a time of Besinnlichkeit (reflection), but Weihnachtsstress is still very real — especially in workplaces where everything must be completed vor Weihnachten.

3. „Zwischen den Jahren“

Literally: “Between the years.”

Meaning: The quiet period between Christmas and New Year.

This expression refers to the cosy, in-between week from 26 December to 31 December. Offices slow down, families relax, people take long walks, and time seems to move differently.

Examples:

Zwischen den Jahren habe ich frei und genieße die Ruhe.→ I’m off work between Christmas and New Year and enjoying the peace.
Viele Firmen bleiben zwischen den Jahren geschlossen.→ Many companies remain closed between Christmas and New Year.

Cultural note: This is a uniquely German concept — a recognised transitional phase for rest, reflection, and leftovers. It’s when people start making plans for Silvester (New Year’s Eve).

4. „Frohe Weihnachten!“

Meaning: Merry Christmas!

This is the standard German Christmas greeting. Use it in cards, emails, and conversations from Christmas Eve (Heiligabend) onwards.

Examples:

Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch!→ Merry Christmas and a good start to the New Year!
Ich wünsche dir und deiner Familie frohe Weihnachten!→ I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas!

5. „Einen guten Rutsch!“

Literally: “A good slide!”

Meaning: Happy New Year! (Have a good start to the year.)

Often paired with Frohe Weihnachten, this belongs to the season as well.

Examples:

Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr!→ Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

6. „Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht“

Meaning: The iconic first line of the world-famous German carol.

People quote it to evoke a peaceful Christmas spirit — even outside the context of singing.

Example:

Endlich Ferien — stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!→ Finally the holidays — all is calm, all is bright!

7. „Adventszauber“ / „Weihnachtszauber“

Meaning: Christmas magic / Advent magic

Used to describe the cosy, festive atmosphere created by lights, markets, snow, baking smells, and decorations.

Examples:

Der Weihnachtszauber in der Altstadt ist wunderschön.→ The Christmas magic in the old town is beautiful.
Ich liebe den Adventszauber – Plätzchen, Kerzen, Musik…→ I love Advent magic – biscuits, candles, music…

8. „Plätzchen backen“

Literally: “Baking biscuits.”

A cultural ritual more than an expression — this phrase instantly evokes Christmas in Germany.

Examples:

Am Wochenende backen wir Plätzchen.→ We’re baking Christmas biscuits at the weekend.
Der Duft von Plätzchen gehört für mich zu Weihnachten.→ The smell of cookies belongs to Christmas for me.

Pairs well with idioms like:

„in Weihnachtsstimmung sein“ – to be in the Christmas mood

9. „Das Fest der Liebe“

Literally: “The festival of love.”

Meaning: A poetic and widely-used term for Christmas.

Germans often refer to Christmas as das Fest der Liebe, emphasising family, kindness, and togetherness.

Examples:

Zu Weihnachten, dem Fest der Liebe, besuchen viele Menschen ihre Familien.→ At Christmas, the festival of love, many people visit their families.

10. „Weihnachtswunder“

Meaning: Christmas miracle

Used both sincerely and humorously — for heartwarming moments, lucky coincidences, or unexpected successes in December.

Examples:

Wir haben tatsächlich alle Geschenke rechtzeitig gefunden – ein echtes Weihnachtswunder!→ We actually found all presents in time – a real Christmas miracle!

🎅 Festive Vocabulary Add-On

Here’s a mini vocabulary list to help learners talk fluently about the season:

German	English
die Vorfreude	joyful anticipation
die Besinnlichkeit	reflective calm
der Tannenbaum	Christmas tree
der Adventskranz	Advent wreath
die Lichterkette	string of lights
der Glühwein	mulled wine
die Weihnachtsmärkte	Christmas markets
die Plätzchen	Christmas biscuits
die Christmette	midnight mass