Navigating the Christmas season in Germany is a magical experience. It’s filled with unique traditions, festive Christmas markets, and cherished celebrations.
Here are the most important dates of the German Christmas season and traditions locals follow.
The Advent Season (die Adventszeit)
The Christmas season officially begins with the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is a period of anticipation and preparation for Christmas.
It covers the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve, with each Sunday holding its own significance.
Advent 2025 Dates:
- 1st Advent: Sunday, November 30, 2025
- 2nd Advent: Sunday, December 7, 2025
- 3rd Advent: Sunday, December 14, 2025
- 4th Advent: Sunday, December 21, 2025
Each Advent Sunday marks a new step towards Christmas:
- 1st Advent: The beginning of the Advent season. Families often set up their Advent wreath and light the first candle. This symbolizes hope and the start of the festive countdown.
- 2nd Advent: The second candle is lit, adding more light and warmth. The focus shifts to preparation and reflection as the season continues.
- 3rd Advent: Now three candles are glowing. Many communities hold special church services, and Christmas markets become more lively.
- 4th Advent: With all four candles shining, anticipation for Christmas is at its highest. This final Sunday is often spent with family, baking treats, or attending festive events.
During Advent, many families also enjoy traditions like singing carols, crafting, and baking Christmas cookies. These weeks are filled with anticipation and create a cozy atmosphere in German homes.
The Advent Calendar (Adventskalender)
An advent calendar is a calendar with 24 doors, one for each day from December 1st to December 24th. Children (and many adults) open one door each day to find a small treat, like chocolate, a toy, or a picture. It’s a way to count down the days until Christmas Eve.
Key Festive Dates During Christmas
December 6: Nikolaustag (St. Nicholas’ Day)
This day honors Saint Nicholas, a kind bishop known for his generosity. It is a highly anticipated day, especially for children.
- Tradition: Children clean and polish their boots (Stiefel) and leave them outside their door on the evening of December 5th.
- What locals do: Overnight, “St. Nicholas” visits and fills the boots with small gifts, oranges, nuts, and chocolates. Naughty children might find a lump of coal or a switch (Rute) instead. It’s more of a playful threat nowadays. This tradition is separate from the Christmas gift-giving on December 24th.
December 24: Heiligabend (Christmas Eve)
For most Germans, Christmas Eve is the most important day of the Christmas celebration. It is when families gather, exchange gifts, and share a special meal.
- Traditions:
- Decorating the Christmas Tree: Many families put up and decorate their Christmas tree (Weihnachtsbaum) on the morning of Christmas Eve.
- Christmas Meal: The evening meal varies by region. Popular choices include simpler dishes like potato salad with sausages (Kartoffelsalat mit Würstchen) or more elaborate meals like carp (Karpfen).
- Gift Exchange (Bescherung): After the meal, families gather around the tree to open their presents. In many households, it is the Christkind (Christ child), an angel-like figure, who is said to bring the gifts.
- What locals do: Businesses and shops close early, usually by 2 PM. The evening is reserved for family. Many people also attend a Christmas mass or church service (Christmette), either in the late afternoon or at midnight.
December 25: Erster Weihnachtsfeiertag (Christmas Day)
Christmas Day is the first of two public holidays. It is a quieter day focused on family, food, and relaxation.
- Tradition: A large, festive lunch is the main event of the day.
- What locals do: Families come together for a feast. A roasted goose (Weihnachtsgans) served with potato dumplings (Klöße) and red cabbage (Rotkohl) is a classic meal. The rest of the day is spent enjoying time together, playing games, or going for a winter walk.
December 26: Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag (Boxing Day/Second Christmas Day)
The second public holiday of Christmas is often used for visiting other relatives or friends.
- Tradition: Another day of feasting and social gatherings.
- What locals do: Many families use this day to visit grandparents or other extended family members they did not see on the 24th or 25th. Restaurants are often busy as some families choose to eat out.
December 31: Silvester (New Year’s Eve)
Germans celebrate the end of the year with parties, special food, and fireworks.
- Traditions:
- Food: Fondue or Raclette are popular shared meals. Lentil soup is also eaten for good luck and prosperity in the new year.
- Lead Pouring (Bleigießen): A tradition where small lead figures are melted over a candle and dropped into cold water. The resulting shape is said to predict the future. Today, wax is often used instead of lead for safety reasons.
- Fireworks: At midnight, people across the country set off fireworks to welcome the new year.
- What locals do: Celebrations range from quiet evenings at home to large public parties. Many will watch the classic short film “Dinner for One” on television, a beloved German New Year’s tradition.
January 6: Heilige Drei Könige (Epiphany/Three Kings’ Day)
Epiphany marks the official end of the Christmas season in some parts of Germany, particularly in the Catholic states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Saxony-Anhalt, where it is a public holiday.
- Tradition: The Sternsinger (star singers) are groups of children dressed as the Three Wise Men. They go from house to house, sing carols, and collect donations for charity. They then write a blessing in chalk above the door: “20*C+M+B*26” (for the year 2026). The letters stand for the Latin phrase Christus Mansionem Benedicat (“Christ bless this house”).
- What locals do: In regions where it is a holiday, families enjoy a final day of rest before the holiday season concludes. Many take down their Christmas decorations on or after this date.
