#german christmas

[almost-born-in-1893]

Hi I thought I would send you an ask to get to know you! 😊

Please tell me what is winter like in Germany? Does it snow much where you live? What do you do for Christmas? It's really hot in Australia and I love to hear about colder places!

Thanks so much for asking that's such a good question! 💙

Edit for readability: I'll break my long text down into chapters

German winter weather

I live in the North West of Germany where it sadly doesn't snow all that much during winter. Usually it just gets a bit cold (about -5 to 5 degrees Celsius) and very muddy, grey and rainy. We almost never have a white Christmas. If it snows at all it's more around February or even March or April in some cases. It didn't always use to be like that though. I'm thirty now but when I think back to my childhood there was a lot more snow a lot earlier in the year. The sad effects of climate change...

If you live in southern Germany though like Bavaria for example or anything close to the Alps you get a lot more luck with snow. They have a lot more and a lot earlier too.

German cities dress up for Christmas

I still enjoy the time around Christmas immensely though. I love cold sweater weather and snuggling up with a hot beverage on a rainy day and I get giddy when I see the Christmas decoration and lights appear everywhere. The cities usually have lights hung up over the streets and decorated christmas trees lining them.

Christmas markets and mulled wine

And then of course we have the Christmas markets where you can buy decorations and all sorts of yummy sweets and market foods and most importantly "Glühwein" (or mulled wine in English)! Mulled wine is the perfect winter drink it really warmes you up and it's sweet and spiced and just tastes of Christmas.

Advent calenders and "Adventskranz"

Other than going to the Christmas market for a mulled wine we have some other traditions to make the December extra special: I think advent calenders aren't unique to Germany, right? But it's a big part here. Many like to make them themselves and give them to there loved ones.

Then we have the "Adventskranz". It's a wreath usually decorated with twigs and branches from pine or fir trees and typical Christmas decorations like bows, little ornaments, dried oranges and cinnamon sticks. You put four candles on them and then you light one of them every Sunday leading up to Christmas. So on the Sunday that's four weekends away from Christmas you are only allowed to light one of the candles, then the Sunday that's three weekends away from Christmas you light the previous one and one extra and so on until all four are allowed to be lit. Then you know it's basically Christmas. So I guess it's a very slow and convoluted way of counting down to Christmas lol. But it looks very pretty.

Nikolaus

We also celebrate "Nikolaus". That's usually mostly for kids though. It's like a mini Christmas before Christmas. On the evening of December 5th children are expected to clean their shoes and put them outside their bedroom door. Then, if they were good and cleaned their shoes properly they find some sweets stuffed inside them the next morning. If they weren't well behaved or didn't clean their shoes they traditionally find coal or twigs in their shoes, but I don't think anyone does that anymore.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

And then for Christmas itsself every family usually has their own traditions. Germans don't celebrate on the morning 25th, but on the evening of the 24th. That usually includes having a fancy big dinner and then gathering together under the Christmas tree (which might be decorated on that day or some days before depending on the family traditions) and opening the presents. Some families go to church beforehand, some go to other events like Christmas concerts - it really depends heavily on the family. Some like to go out after the "Bescherung" (that's what we call the event of opening the presents) and go to a pub. I don't think that's in the Christmas spirit. I like to just be with family on that evening.

The 25th and 26th are always holidays. Not many people work there. They are usually for hanging out with loved ones, playing with the toys you got on the 24th, visiting extended family and going out for fancy dinners - that sort of thing.

And that's my essay on Christmas time in Germany. Thanks for reading it. I hope it wasn't too much. I just love this time of year and all the little things we do to make it special. There's so much more I could write, but that would indeed be too much.

#ask #chistmas #christmas traditions #german christmas #german christmas traditions #christmas in germany #german stuff

[liciloveschristmas]

#christmas #weihnachten #xmas #noel #snow #lights #festive #cute #beautiful #cozy #christmas table #red #festive table #germany #german christmas

[victusinveritas]

“But Darling, my Christmas won’t be complete until I can find a tree that doubles as a memento mori."

You only had to ask.

#memento mori #grave goods #skeleton war #vintage christmas #german christmas #the skull of santa on a pile of elf bones

[darkness-bound-adventures]

In the spirit of Christmas 2022, a herd of Krampus emerge from the forest to kidnap and eat or drown misbehaving children. 

Okay.. so I’m mostly joking... but this picture makes me dark little heart happy and giggly.

#Krampus #krampusnacht #Christmas2022 #xms #German Christmas #LOL OMG #Yule #Jul #Yuletide

[septembergold]

#traditional german #19th century #cities #beautiful #german christmas

[dachbodenfund]

#christmas #christmas tree #german christmas #traditional christmas #fairy lights

[thegreatgildy]

A mother and her daughter posing on a sofa in a lower-middle-class living room. A tabletop tube radio decorated with a small Christmas tree can be seen in the background.

Country of origin: Germany

#German christmas #vintage christmas #1940s #1950s

[wildchildalr]

🎶Krampus is coming to town🎵

#krampus #Germany #german christmas #christmas tradition #christmas time #ai generated #ai generated art

[dulcey4]

It is almost December, and not a creature was stirring...not even a MOOSE! Having a hard time looking for that special fun unique gift like one would a pickle on your Christmas tree? Look no further!! Bring some fun to your Christmas or winter decor this holiday season by checking out all the whimsical and quirky tea towels here at RiverWood Forest! These tea towels make the perfect gift to wrap a loaf of pumpkin bread or Christmas cookies in for a fun presentation that is memorable, and thoughtful, and gives one a keepsake for many years to come; either keeping the tea towel for themselves or passing it down like one would a giving plate to the next recipient! 🎁❄️🦌🐇🌟🌲🥒 ⭐️ Shop them all now along with many giftable and decor items here at ❄️🎄 RiverWood Forest! 🎄❄️

xoxo, Tina

#new england aesthetic #wildlife #moose #christmas pickle #german christmas #cottagecore christmas #winter woods #woodland aesthetic #woodland witch #woodland decor #forestcore #smallbusiness #etsydesigner #etsystore #etsyartist #quirky christmas #tea towels #kitchen towel #illustration #licensing #riverwood forest

[huariqueje]

Christmas  -   Friedrich Kallmorgen , 1903.

German ,  1856 - 1924

Oil on canvas ,  64 x 53.5cm.

#Friedrich Kallmorgen #german artist #interior scene #Christmas Tree #open doors

[newyorkthegoldenage]

A Santa Claus on wheels appears in front of a department store on December 6, 1938. Santa holds signs urging the boycott of German-made toys.

Photo: Associated Press

#vintage New York #1930s #Nazis #Dec. 6 #Anti-Nazi League #German boycott #6 Dec. #pre-World War II #Christmas shopping

[archiarthur]

Merry Christmas here's your gays

#tf2 #science party #team fortress 2 #art-chi #engiemedic #tf2 medic #engineer x medic #tf2 engineer #medic x engineer #medicengie #genetic engineering #german engineering #genetic engineering tf2 #german engineering tf2 #Christmas #Archimedes #Digital art #gay

[victusinveritas]

#gruss vom krampus #krampus #vintage christmas #german christmas #austrian christmas

[myfairynuffstuff]

Reinhold Nägele (1884 - 1972) - Christmas Tree. 1934. Tempera on cardboard.

#Reinhold Nägele #German #Christmas #Christmas Tree

[ben-the-hyena]

Second day of Christmas : the Yule Goat

In Scandinavian countries, the Yule Goat or Julbock is an emblematic Christmas figure taken straight from Norse and Germanic mythologies. Inspired from the goats who accompanied Thor and turned malevolent and satanic at the moment of Christianism's coming, he became good again in the 19th century and it was then said he was the one bringing presents to children, before being rewritten agai as just the Julenisse's mate/steed, the elf who is said to be the one bringing gifts more recently. The reason why I drew him crisp burnt is referring to the Gävle Goat, Sweden. It's super funny, but too long tocbe explained here, there are lots of articles and videos on the subject and this year is a new step in its history

#Christmas #twelve days of christmas #folklore #lol #i made it myself #moi #julbock #gävle goat #gävle #sweden #norse #germanic #mythology #burned #fire #explosion

[fullcravings]

German Gingerbread Cookies (Lebkuchen)

#german #lebkuchen #gingerbread #ginger #cookies #winter #christmas #spice #recipe #alpineella