Christmas isn’t the same all over the world, there are different traditions and customs. So what’s German Christmas like and how do Germans get into the Christmas Mood? Here are the top five ways to celebrate the holiday the German way.
Christmas Markets
Essential for the German Christmas feel, at least one Christmas market has to be visited. The more markets and the more often, the better. Get your Glühwein fix, grab a Lebkuchen and munch on a langosch – it is far better to do that in cheerful company despite the cold than to do that in the quiet of your home. Speaking of quiet…
Put on Christmas Music
Yes, that might include cheesy pop classics and pop versions, such as Wham’s Last Christmas. You will be bombarded with it on every radio channel, so why not return to the ultimate classic playlist and hit the button on kids choir sessions? Those songs are generally German and traditionally so, such as “Oh, Tannenbaum”, “Stille Nacht” and “Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann”. It doesn’t matter if there are ones that are deemed kiddie songs, such as the latter, they are part of the glory of Christmas.
Cookie Time
No plum pudding or Yule log for you, we have proper Christmas cookies and whole boxes full of them. Part of getting into the Christmas mood for Germans is devoting the Sunday afternoon to manufacturing lots and lots of self made cookies. You make the dough (don’t eat it all!), cut it out with the many stencil forms you have, bake it and decorate it to your liking. There are hundreds of different kinds of cookies and apart from eating them yourself, the joy lies in giving them away to family and friends. Christmas is all about giving, after all.
Decorate Your Home
Grab a couple of pinetree branches and pull out all your Christmas decoration, which magically seems to grow over the years and start decorating. Not a room in the house must be left out, Christmas is everywhere! Dangling from lamps, sitting on tables and put in vases, Christmas décor needs to be strategically placed for full exposure. Don’t forget the door wreath.
Take a Walk to Get into the Christmas Mood
Part of the beauty of Christmas time is also that the air gets chilly and the first snow flakes fall and ice frosts the mornings. Why not put on your warmest jumper and thickest coat and head out to the winter wonderland? Even if you are freezing and wish for getting back into your warm home, getting back will feel so much nicer than just having stayed inside. So anticipate your hot chocolate and the heater and get a little exercise.
Are there any go-to things you do to get into the Christmas mood? Is here anything in particular that is typical for your country? Drop me a comment below.
Bonus: Get your free guide to German Christmas Markets
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