German Advent Calendar: Facts of the Day

Der German-Way-Adventskalender

NOTE: An ADVENT CALENDAR begins on December 1, but as of 2024 ours is no longer active.
But you can learn about German Christmas customs with our special online 24 German Christmas Facts. By clicking on the links below (1-24), you’ll learn a different German Christmas fact each day from December 1 until Christmas Eve, when German and many European families celebrate Christmas by opening presents under the Tannenbaum.

QUIZ: When you’re ready, try our 10-item quiz on German Christmas customs: Advent and Christmas Quiz 1

You’ll learn about the many Christmas customs observed in Germany and the other German-speaking lands, many of which have crossed the Atlantic. The Christmas tree, the Advent wreath, Christmas markets, and singing “Silent Night” are just four of them. And there are other Christmas customs still found only in Germany and Europe. Our interactive Advent calendar is a fun way to learn all about them. Also see the “Related Links” below for more information about Christmas in German-speaking Europe.

German Christmas Facts

For each day between 1 December and 24 December you can click on a link to more information about that custom or tradition. You’re also free to select any Christmas fact at random.

• 1. Der Adventskalender – The story of this popular German custom and the Advent tradition
• 2. German Christmas Markets – This German tradition has spread around the globe
• 3. Stollen und Striezel – Two of Dresden’s contributions to Christmas
• 4. Barbaratag und Barbarazweig – A blossoming tradition in the middle of winter! Learn about St. Barbara.
• 5. Der Adventskranz – The Advent wreath is a key element of the Advent custom. And it was invented in Germany.
• 6. December 6th and St. Nicholas – No, not Santa. The “real” Saint Nicholas comes early in December.
• 7. Böllerschießen / Christkindl-Anschießen – Have a merry, noisy, bang-up Christmas! Bavarians and Austrians chase away the demons for Christmas and New Year’s.
• 8. Lichterzug der Schulkinder in Nürnberg – The “school children’s lantern procession” in Nuremberg
• 9. Weihnachtskarten / Christmas Cards – How and where did the custom of sending Christmas cards begin?
• 10. Weihnachten – The origins of the German word for “Christmas”
• 11. Christmas Lights in Germany: Weihnachtshäuser – Christmas lighting seen on houses in the US and Canada is not a widespread custom in German-speaking Europe, but in recent decades German enthusiasts have adopted this tradition.
• 12. Die Bescherung – Exchanging Gifts – German-speakers exchange gifts under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, not Christmas morning – plus a look at German expressions using Bescherung.

Continued below…

Singers at the Lucia Christmas Market in the Kulturbrauerei, Berlin. (See link #13 below.) PHOTO: Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt at the Kulturbrauerei, Berlin

• 13. Lucienhäuschenschwimmen in Fürstenfeldbruck – St. Lucia’s feast day is on 13 December. Mostly celebrated in Scandinavia, there are places in Germany where her day is also honored.
• 14. Der Christbaum – The Christmas Tree (der Tannenbaum) – The history of the Christmas tree is not entirely clear, but its Germanic origins are fairly well documented. The Alsatian region was a key, early location for the custom.
• 15. Weihnachtsrose – Christmas Rose – Technically known as Helleborus niger, the Christmas rose is not a true rose, it blooms in winter, and also happens to be poisonous. It is the German the equivalent of the poinsettia (Weihnachtsstern), although it looks very different.
• 16. The German Christmas pyramid (Weihnachtspyramide) – It began as a small, humble replacement for the more expensive Christmas tree, but is now seen in gigantic form at almost every German Christmas market.
• 17. The Secret Christmas Tree – Many Germans still wait until Christmas Eve to put up their Christmas tree. Not only that, some children have to wait until then to see the “secret” tree!
• 18. German and Austrian Christmas Carols – The world’s most popular, most famous Christmas carol of all time was created in Austria. But “Silent Night” is only one of many carols that originated in Austria and Germany.
• 19. German Christmas Ornaments – Ever wondered how we came to have glass ornaments and tinsel on the Christmas tree? Both are German inventions. But that’s not all.
• 20. Thomasnacht & Klötzenbacken – The longest night of the year (Dec. 20) is called Thomasnacht. The next day (Dec. 21), the shortest day of the year, is Thomastag. The Germans some customs related to that.
• 21. Nutcrackers – Nussknacker – The Erzgebirge, or Ore Mountains region of Germany, is considered the home of the decorative wooden nutcracker. How did that happen?
• 22. The Manger – Die Krippe – The first known three-dimensional representation of the nativity scene (Krippenbild, as we understand it today, appeared in Prague in 1562, although theatrical and other representations of the manger scene date back to the 1200s. Following the Prague model, nativity scenes later appeared in churches in Munich (1607), Innsbruck (1608), and Salzburg (1615).
• 23. The Date for Christmas – In the early days of Christianity, the birthday of Jesus was celebrated in various months, including March. No one really knows the true month or date of the birth of Jesus, but it is highly unlikely that he was born in December or even in winter.
• 24. Die Bescherung 2 and the Second Christmas Day – In most of Europe, the second Christmas Day (Dec. 26) is a legal holiday, similar to Boxing Day in the United Kingdom, parts of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most of the Commonwealth nations.

MORE > Christmas from A to Z – An alphabetical guide to German Christmas customs and traditions

MORE > German Christmas Carols around the Advent wreath on each Advent Sunday.

Next | Advent Calendar with Christmas Facts

Related Pages
AT THE GERMAN WAY

• Christmas from A to Z – German Christmas traditions and terms
• Advent – The Latin word means “arrival.” This custom begins on the first Advent Sunday around December 1.
• Photo Gallery: Christmas in Germany – Berlin – A visual tour of Christmas markets and other December sights in Berlin
• Christmas in the USA and Germany– A comparison chart
• German Christmas Carols – Popular carols with lyrics in German and English
• Barbarazweig – The legend and the Christmas custom
• Epiphany and the Sternsinger – January 6 in the Germanic Christmas tradition
• Erntedank (“harvest thanksgiving”) or Erntedankfest in Germany and Austria is different from the American Thanksgiving tradition.
• St. Nicholas – The many German St. Nicks
• Thomas Nast created the modern Santa image.
• The Christmas Pickle Ornament – Fact or fiction?
• Silent Night (Stille Nacht) – Our “Silent Night” page has the true story and related links.
• Holidays and Celebrations in Austria, Germany and Switzerland
• Glass Ornaments – a history