Traditional German Christmas Decorations

Traditional German Christmas decorations are more than just pretty objects – they’re living folk art, full of history, symbolism, and regional pride. From flickering candle arches in snowy windows to gently turning wooden pyramids and incense-smoking figures, traditional German Christmas decorations create the warm, storybook atmosphere many people associate with Advent and Christmas in Germany.

For German learners, these items are a wonderful way to connect vocabulary, culture, and real-life experience. In this guide, you’ll discover:

• The most iconic traditional German Christmas decorations and where they come from

• Key German terms (with English translations) like Adventskranz, Schwibbogen, Weihnachtspyramide, Räuchermännchen and more

• How these decorations are used in German homes and Christmas markets

• A handy vocabulary list for your German Christmas word bank

1. The Ore Mountains and the Heart of German Christmas Folk Art

If you’ve ever admired a wooden Christmas pyramid, a smoking incense man, or a candle arch, chances are it came from the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) in eastern Germany. This low mountain range on the Saxon–Bohemian border has been a centre of woodcarving and toy-making since at least the 17th century. When silver mining declined, local miners turned to carving wooden toys and decorations to earn a living, especially for Christmas.

Today, towns like Seiffen are famous for their high-quality, hand-crafted Christmas folk art:

• Schwibbögen – candle arches

• Weihnachtspyramiden – Christmas pyramids

• Räuchermännchen – incense smoker figures

• Nussknacker – nutcrackers

• Engel und Bergmann – angel and miner candle holders

These typical Erzgebirge decorations appear side by side at Christmas markets and in living rooms: glowing in windows, spinning on tables, and perfuming the air with incense.

2. Adventskranz – The German Advent Wreath

German term: der Adventskranz English: Advent wreath

The Adventskranz is one of the most beloved traditional German Christmas decorations and a visible sign that the festive season has begun. It’s usually a circular wreath made of fir branches, decorated with ribbons, berries and four candles – one for each Sunday of Advent.

On the first Sunday of Advent, families light the first candle, then a second candle the following week, and so on. Children often sing Advent songs as the candles are lit, and the wreath sits in pride of place on the dining or coffee table throughout December.

Language tip: Wir zünden die erste Kerze am ersten Adventssonntag an.→ We light the first candle on the first Sunday of Advent. Der Adventskranz steht auf dem Esstisch.→ The Advent wreath is on the dining table.

The Adventskranz is such a core part of Christmas that modern, minimalist versions now exist – made of wood, metal, or even lights – but the idea is always the same: a slowly growing circle of light in the dark weeks before Christmas.

3. The Christmas Tree and Its Traditional Decorations

German term: der Weihnachtsbaum / der Christbaum English: Christmas tree

Germany is home to the modern Christmas tree tradition that later spread around the world. A typical German Weihnachtsbaum is put up and decorated relatively late – often on Christmas Eve itself in more traditional families – and decorated with a blend of modern and old-fashioned ornaments.

3.1 Strohsterne – Straw Stars

German: die Strohsterne English: straw stars

Delicate straw stars are classic German Christmas tree decorations. Made from natural straw and bound into star shapes, they reflect candlelight beautifully and create a rustic, nostalgic look. Straw is a symbol of simplicity and of the manger in Bethlehem, so these ornaments carry a quiet religious echo too.

Am Weihnachtsbaum hängen viele handgemachte Strohsterne.→ There are lots of handmade straw stars hanging on the Christmas tree.

3.2 Glass Baubles and Tree Topper

From the 19th century onwards, Germany also became famous for mouth-blown glass ornaments, especially from Thuringian towns such as Lauscha. These include:

• die Glaskugel – glass bauble

• die Baumspitze – tree topper (often a glass finial or star)

They are now standard on Christmas trees worldwide, but their roots are firmly German.

3.3 Beeswax Ornaments and Wooden Figures

Traditional trees may also feature:

• Bienenwachskerzen – beeswax candles (now often replaced by safe electric lights)

• Small wooden figures, angels (Engel), and tiny nutcrackers

• Dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and hand-carved ornaments from the Erzgebirge

These natural materials give the tree a warm, understated character – very different from plastic-heavy decoration styles.

4. Weihnachtspyramide – The German Christmas Pyramid

German term: die Weihnachtspyramide English: Christmas pyramid

The Weihnachtspyramide is a wooden, multi-tiered carousel, usually decorated with nativity scenes, angels, carol singers, or village life. Around the base, small candles are placed; when lit, the hot air they generate rises and turns the blades at the top, making the entire pyramid gently rotate.

At home, families set their Christmas pyramid on a table or sideboard and light it for the first Sunday in Advent and on Christmas Eve. In Advent markets, giant versions – some over ten metres high – tower above the stalls.

Die Weihnachtspyramide dreht sich, wenn die Kerzen brennen.→ The Christmas pyramid spins when the candles are burning.

Why it’s special:

• It combines engineering and storytelling – mechanical movement driven simply by candle heat.

• Figures on the tiers often show regional traditions (miners, forest workers, shepherds), connecting Christmas to local history.

5. Schwibbogen – Candle Arches in the Window

German term: der Schwibbogen English: candle arch / window arch

The Schwibbogen is a distinctive arch-shaped candle holder placed in windows during Advent, especially in Saxony and the Ore Mountains. The word comes from architecture: a “schwebender Bogen” – an arch that seems to hang between two walls.

Traditionally, the arch symbolised the entrance to the mine, hung with lamps to guide miners home. Modern Schwibbögen are usually carved from wood and lit with electric bulbs. The cut-out designs in the centre show:

• mining scenes

• winter landscapes

• nativity scenes

• churches, village squares, or Christmas markets

In many Erzgebirge towns, almost every window glows with a Schwibbogen, giving entire streets a magical, festive look.

Im Dezember steht in fast jedem Fenster ein Schwibbogen.→ In December, there’s a candle arch in almost every window.

6. Räuchermännchen – Incense Smoker Figures

German term: das Räuchermännchen / der Räuchermann English: incense smoker (smoking man)

Räuchermännchen are charming wooden figures that burn cone incense (Räucherkerzen). The figurine consists of two hollow parts: you place a lit incense cone on the metal plate in the bottom half, then set the top half over it. As the incense burns, fragrant smoke curls out of the figure’s mouth – often via a little pipe or chimney.

Typical characters include:

• miners, foresters, and nightwatchmen (reflecting local trades)

• Father Christmas / Weihnachtsmann

• shepherds, carol singers, chimney sweeps

• bakers, toy makers, and many more modern professions

For many families, the smell of incense from a Räuchermännchen is as much “the smell of Christmas” as pine needles or biscuits.

Das Räuchermännchen steht auf der Kommode und verbreitet Tannenduft.→ The incense smoker stands on the chest of drawers and spreads a pine scent.

7. Nussknacker – Traditional German Nutcrackers

German term: der Nussknacker English: nutcracker

Another world-famous traditional German Christmas decoration is the wooden nutcracker, carved to look like a soldier, king, policeman, or other stern authority figure. Originally, these figures did crack nuts with their jaws, but today many are purely decorative.

Nutcrackers have become international thanks in part to Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet, but their roots lie in Saxon woodcarving, where caricaturing powerful figures into toys was a subtle, humorous way of “putting them in their place”.

Wir stellen unsere alten Nussknacker jedes Jahr auf die Fensterbank.→ We put our old nutcrackers on the windowsill every year.

Collectors often add a new nutcracker each year, and Christmas markets in Germany still sell them in all sizes, from tiny ornaments to life-sized figures.

8. Engel und Bergmann – Angels and Miners

German terms: der Bergmann, der Engel (Kerzenhalter) English: miner and angel candle holders

In the Erzgebirge tradition, mining and Christmas are intertwined. Miners who spent long, dark hours underground longed for light, and Christmas was a time when they brought that light into their homes.

Paired angel and miner candle holders – Engel und Bergmann – are classic decorations:

• The angel holds a candle as a symbol of faith and heaven.

• The miner holds a candle symbolising work and earth.

Standing together, they represent both the spiritual and the earthly side of life, and the unity of the household. These figures are often placed on window sills or sideboards, sometimes flanking a Schwibbogen or pyramid.

Engel und Bergmann stehen rechts und links vom Schwibbogen im Fenster.→ Angel and miner stand to the right and left of the candle arch in the window.

9. Nativity Scenes – Krippen

German term: die Krippe / die Weihnachtskrippe English: nativity scene

While not unique to Germany, nativity scenes (Krippen) are an important part of traditional German Christmas décor. They range from simple wooden sets with Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, to elaborate landscapes with shepherds, animals, the Magi, and entire Bethlehem villages.

In some Catholic regions, families gradually add figures through Advent:

• the Holy Family on Christmas Eve,

• the shepherds and animals,

• then the Three Kings (die Heiligen Drei Könige) around Epiphany (6 January).

Die Weihnachtskrippe steht unter dem Tannenbaum.→ The nativity scene stands under the Christmas tree.

Many German churches also have large, detailed Krippen that children visit after services, and Krippenwege (nativity trails) where local residents display scenes in windows or gardens.

10. Window Stars, Paper Lanterns and Table Decorations

Beyond the big wooden pieces, German homes are filled with smaller, atmospheric decorations.

10.1 Paper Stars and Window Lights

• der Papierstern / Fensterstern – paper star / window star

• die Lichterkette – string of lights

Brightly coloured paper or parchment star lamps hang in windows, lit from within: especially the famous Herrnhuter Stern, originally from the Moravian Church community in Saxony. These stars symbolise the Star of Bethlehem and are lit from Advent through to Epiphany.

10.2 Table and Room Decorations

• der Nussknacker – nutcracker

• die Weihnachtsfigur – Christmas figurine

• der Kerzenhalter – candle holder

• die Weihnachtsdecke – Christmas tablecloth

Living rooms and dining tables are dressed with:

• small pine branches (Tannenzweige),

• bowls of nuts and mandarins,

• candles in red or gold,

• little wooden angels, snowmen (Schneemänner), and forest animals.

All of this creates the Gemütlichkeit (cosy feeling) that Germans treasure in winter.

11. Traditional German Christmas Decorations – Vocabulary at a Glance

Here’s a compact German–English vocabulary list you can use as a learning checklist or to label décor in your own home:

German term	English	Notes
der Adventskranz	Advent wreath	Evergreen wreath with four candles for Advent Sundays
der Weihnachtsbaum / Christbaum	Christmas tree	Decorated, often only on Christmas Eve
die Strohsterne	straw stars	Classic tree decorations made of straw
die Glaskugel	glass bauble	Mouth-blown glass ornament
die Weihnachtspyramide	Christmas pyramid	Wooden carousel powered by candle heat
der Schwibbogen	candle arch	Lit arch in the window, symbol of mining traditions
das Räuchermännchen	incense smoker	Wooden figure that “smokes” incense
der Nussknacker	nutcracker	Carved soldier/king figure, mainly decorative
der Engel und der Bergmann	angel and miner	Pair of candle-holding figures from Erzgebirge
die Weihnachtskrippe	nativity scene	Nativity figures, often under the tree
der Papierstern / Fensterstern	paper/window star	Star lantern hung in windows
die Lichterkette	string of lights	Fairy lights for trees or windows
die Weihnachtsfigur	Christmas figurine	Angel, Santa, snowman, etc.
die Bienenwachskerze	beeswax candle	Traditional candles on trees or tables

Try making your own German Christmas corner at home and labelling items with sticky notes in German – a simple but effective vocabulary exercise.

12. Learn German through Christmas Traditions with Olesen Tuition

Exploring traditional German Christmas decorations is a wonderful way to bring the language to life:

• You’re learning concrete nouns (Adventskranz, Schwibbogen, Räuchermännchen),

• practising adjectives (e.g. ein großer hölzerner Nussknacker – a big wooden nutcracker),

• and connecting vocabulary to culture and history.

At Olesen Tuition, we often weave these traditions into our teaching – especially in the run-up to Christmas:

• In beginner and intermediate German classes, we use Christmas vocabulary to practise descriptive sentences and word order.

• In online German lessons, you can bring photos of your own decorations and learn how to describe them in natural German.

• Our intensive German courses frequently include cultural modules on topics like Christmas markets, Advent customs, and German winter traditions.

You can also find more seasonal posts on our German language blog “Auf Deutsch, bitte!”, where we explain vocabulary and grammar in clear, learner-friendly English – ideal for self-study between lessons.

If you’d like to be able to talk about your Christmas traditions in German, ask for decorations at a Weihnachtsmarkt, or simply read German articles about Advent and Weihnachten with ease, we’d be delighted to help.

🎄 Next step: Browse our blog for more Christmas-related vocabulary, or book a lesson to practise speaking about Advent, decorations and Christmas markets in German.

Frohe Weihnachten und viel Erfolg beim Deutschlernen!