Christmas Vocabulary: English-German Glossary

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An Annotated English-German Christmas Glossary

Christmas | Weihnachten | Winter | Hanukkah | Holidays | Santa | St. Nicholas

In this annotated glossary, you’ll find vocabulary and facts related to the Christmas celebration and Christmas customs (and Hanukkah) in German-speaking Europe and in North America. Also see the German-English version of this glossary.

Trierer Weihnachtsmarkt - Trier Christmas Market in the evening

The Christmas market in Trier, Germany. PHOTO: © Trierer Weihnachtsmarkt/Werner Hardt

Also see:
• Advent Calendar with Christmas facts (in season)
• Christmas in Germany – An A-to-Z guide to Weihnachten
• German Christmas Carols – Lyrics in German and English
• Thanksgiving in Germany – Erntedank

NOTE: German noun genders are indicated as r (der, masc.), e (die, fem.), s (das, neut.). Plural forms of German nouns are shown in ( ): s Lied (-er) = Lieder = songs

Glossary Copyright © 1999-2023 Hyde Flippo

A

Advent | r Advent is the 4-week period prior to Christmas; see Advent and Christmas.
Advent calendar(s) r Adventskalender (-)
» See our online Advent calendar with Christmas facts! (in season)
Advent season | e Adventszeit
Advent wreath | r Adventskranz

Advent (Latin for “arrival, coming”) is the four-week period leading up to Christmas. In German-speaking countries and most of Europe the first Advent weekend is the traditional beginning of the Christmas season when open-air Christmas markets (Christkindlmärkte) appear in many cities, the most famous ones being those in Nuremberg and Vienna. Most stores and shops in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are open weekends and evenings during Advent. – In Austria the ‘s’ is often dropped in Advent-words (as in Adventzeit or Adventkalender).

angel(s) | r Engel (-)
» snow angel(s) | r Schneeengel (-)

B

baked goods, pastry | s Gebäck
Barbara Branch | Barbarazweig – A pre-Christmas custom celebrated in Catholic regions on Dec. 4th, the traditional feast day of St. Barbara (Barbaratag). See Barbarazweig, the Name, the Legend.

Barbarazweig is a winter custom usually involving cherry tree twigs. It is celebrated in Catholic regions on Dec. 4th, the traditional feast day of St. Barbara (Barbaratag). For more, see: Barbarazweig

Basel chocolate balls | Basler Brunsli – A sweet confection made with chocolate, almonds, and hazelnut; a Christmas treat.
Baumkuchen | r Baumkuchen – “Tree cake” is a layered cake whose interior resembles (Christmas) tree rings when cut.
bell | e Glocke, s Glöckchen (little bell)
MORE: “Kling, Glöckchen” – Lyrics in German and English for this popular German carol
Bible | e Bibel
booth, stand (at a Christmas market) | e Bude (-n)
» e Glühweinbude = the mulled wine booth/stand
bow (ribbon) (n.) | e Schleife

C

candle(s) | e Kerze (-n)

Candles, with their light and warmth, have long been used in winter celebrations as symbols of the sun in the dark of winter. The Christians later adopted candles as their own symbol of the “Light of the World.” Candles also play an important role in the eight-day Jewish “Festival of Lights” Hanukkah celebration.

candle arch (See “Christmas candle arch” below.)
candy, sweets | s/r Bonbon (-s), Süssigkeiten (pl.)
carol(s), Christmas carol(s) | s Weihnachtslied (-er)
carp (n.) | r Karpfen (-)
» Carp is considered a Christmas or New Year’s delicacy in many parts of Germany.
Chanukkah (or Hanukkah) | s Chanukka/Hanukkah the Jewish “Festival of Lights” that usually falls close to Christmas
chimney | r Schornstein
choir | r Chor
créche, manger | e Krippe, s Krippenbild (nativity scene)
Christ Child | s Christkind, s Christkindl

Christkindl: The term “Kris Kringle” (for Santa) is a corruption of Christkindl. The word came into American English via the Pennsylvania Germans, whose neighbors misunderstood the German word for the bringer of gifts. With the passage of time, Santa Claus (from Dutch Sinterclaas) and Kris Kringle became synonymous. The Austrian town of Christkindl bei Steyr is a popular Christmas post office, an Austrian “North Pole.”

Christmas | s Weihnachten (also pl.), s Weihnachtsfest
» at/for Christmas | zu Weihnachten
» It’s Christmas. / Christmas is coming. | Es weihnachtet.
» Merry/Happy Christmas! Frohe Weihnachten!
Christmas bread/cake, fruit cake | r Stollen, r Christstollen, r Striezel (dial., Dresden, Saxony)
Christmas candle arch | r Schwibbogen
MORE: The German Christmas Candle Arch or Schwibbogen
Christmas card(s) | e Weihnachtskarte (-n)
Christmas Eve | r Heiligabend
» on Christmas Eve | am Heiligabend
» Germans open their presents on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day.
Christmas market(s) | r Weihnachtsmarkt (-märkte), r Christkindlesmarkt
» See Christmas Markets in Germany and Europe for more.
Christmas pyramid | e Weihnachtspyramide (-n)
MORE: The Christmas Pyramid
Christmas tree | r Christbaum, r Tannenbaum, r Weihnachtsbaum
MORE: Christmas Tree (Tannenbaum)
CAROLS: German Christmas Carols, including “O Tannenbaum” (“O Christmas Tree”)

der Tannenbaum – The first Christmas tree to decorate the inside of the White House was put up by US President Franklin Pierce in 1856. (German immigrants brought the custom to America.) In England Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert (1819-1861) of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, helped popularize the Christmas tree and other German Christmas customs. More: The Christmas Tree

cinnamon star(s) | r Zimtstern (-e) – Star-shaped, cinnamon-flavored Christmas cookies
C+M+B (also K+M+B) | C+M+B – Refers to Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar (the Magi, see Star Singers and C+M+B), but also has a Latin meaning.
cookie | r Keks, s Kipferl, s Plätzchen
cookies (pl.) | Kekse, Kipferln, Plätzchen
cradle, créche | e Krippe, s Kripplein, e Wiege
crescent(s) | s Kipferl (-n) – cookies
» vanilla crescent(s) | Vanillekipferl(n)

Dresden Christmas Market

Dresden’s Christmas Market, called the Striezelmarkt, is one of Germany’s most famous and earliest. PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons

D

decorate (v.) | dekorieren, schmücken, verzieren
» Christmas decorations | r Weihnachtsschmuck
deposit (for a bottle or mug) | s Pfand
» When you buy a mug of Glühwein at a Christmas market, part of the price is a deposit (Pfand). If you return the cup, you’ll get your deposit back. If not, you paid a 4 or 5-euro deposit for the cup.
Dresden Christmas [fruit] bread/loaf | Dresdner Weihnachtsstollen, r Striezel

E

eggnog | r Eierlikör (similar to, but not really the same as eggnog)
Epiphany | s Dreikönigsfest (Jan. 6) – See Epiphany and the Sternsinger.

F

Father Christmas, Santa Claus | r Weihnachtsmann (“Christmas Man”)
fir/pine branch | r Tannenzweig
fir tree | r Tannenbaum (-bäume)

der Tannenbaum – Originally, most German Christmas trees were fir trees (Tannenbäume). Over the years, as the percentage of fir trees in German forests dropped, spruce trees (Fichtenbäume) became more prevalent. But today the word Tannenbaum is still synonymous with “Christmas tree.” See The German Christmas Tree.

fireplace | r Kamin
frankincense | r Weihrauch
» Gold, frankincense and myrrh (Gold, Weihrauch und Myrrhe) are the three precious gifts brought by Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar (the Magi, see C+M+B) to Baby Jesus, although the Bible never names or numbers the gift-bringers.
fruit bread, Christmas bread | r Stollen; s Kletzenbrot (an Alpine rye bread containing dried pears, Kletzen, and various spices)

G

garland (n.) | e Girlande (-n)
gift(s), present(s) | s Geschenk (-e)
» Caution! The German word das Gift means “poison.” If you are mailing a present to German Europe, you may wish to mark it with the German word Geschenk, in addition to “gift.”
gift giving, exchange of presents | e Bescherung
gingerbread | r Lebkuchen
glass ball | e Glaskugel (-n)

H

Hanukkah / Chanukkah | s Hanukka
» Chanukkah/Hanukkah, the Jewish “Festival of Lights,” usually falls close to Christmas.
Happy New Year! | Prosit Neujahr!
Happy New Year! | Alles Gute im neuen Jahr!
holy (adj.) | heilig
holly (n.) | e Stechpalme
» In pagan times, holly was believed to have magical powers that kept evil spirits away. The Christians later made it a symbol of Christ’s crown of thorns. According to legend, the holly berries were originally white, but turned red from Christ’s blood.
hot mulled wine | r Glühwein (“glow wine”)
MORE: German Hot Winter Drinks

I

ice | s Eis
icicle(s) | r Eiszapfen (-), (tinsel) s Eis-Lametta
ice skate(s) | r Schlittschuh (-e)
ice skate (v.) | Eislaufen, Schlittschuhlaufen
ice skating | s Eislaufen

J

Jesus | Jesus (YEA-zoos), Jesulein (Baby Jesus)

K

king(s) | r König (-e)
» Three Kings (Wise Men) | die Heiligen Drei Könige, die Weisen
K+M+B (also C+M+B) | C+M+B – Refers to Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar (the Magi, see Star Singers and C+M+B), but also has a Latin meaning.
Krampus | r Krampus – See Krampus: The Christmas Devil and “Ruprecht” below.

L

lighting | e Beleuchtung
» outdoor lighting | e Außenbeleuchtung
» Christmas lighting (on houses) | Weihnachtshäuser (pl.)
lights | e Lichter, elektrische Kerzen (electric candles)

Also see the English-German version of this Christmas Glossary.

M

manger | e Krippe, s Krippenbild
Mary and Joseph | Maria und Joseph
marzipan | s Marzipan (almond paste candy)
menorah | e Menora (Chanukkah candlelabrum)
Merry Christmas! Happy Christmas! | Fröhliche Weihnachten!, Frohe Weihnachten!
midnight mass | e Christmette, Mitternachtsmette
mistletoe | e Mistel
mulled, spiced wine | r Glühwein (“glow wine”)
MORE: German Hot Winter Drinks
myrrh | e Myrrhe
» Gold, frankincense and myrrh (Gold, Weihrauch und Myrrhe) are the three precious gifts brought by Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar (the Magi, see C+M+B) to Baby Jesus, although the Bible never names or numbers the gift-bringers.

N

Nast, Thomas | Thomas Nast was the German-American political cartoonist who gave the US and the world its traditional image of Santa Claus.
nativity | e Krippe, s Krippenbild, die Geburt Christi (birth)
New Year’s Eve | r/s Silvester – See Silvester – New Year’s Eve in Germany for more.)
New Year’s Eve party, New Year’s party | Silvesterfeier, die
Nicholas | r Nikolaus – See: St. Nicholas
Nicholas Day (Dec. 6) | r Nikolaustag (St. Nicholas Day, Feast of St. Nicholas)
Nickel (name) | r Nickel (form of Nicholas) – See Ruprecht below.
nut(s) | e Nuss (Nüsse)
nutcracker(s) | r Nussknacker (-) – See our Guide to German Nutcrackers for more.

O

organ, pipe organ | e Orgel
ornaments, ornamentation (tree, etc.) | e Verzierung, r Schmuck

P

Peace on Earth! | Friede auf Erden!
pickle | saure Gurke
» pickle ornament – See The German Pickle Ornament, tradition or myth?
poinsettia | e Poinsettie, r Weihnachtsstern
» Named for J.R. Poinsett (1779-1851), US ambassador to Mexico, who popularized the flower. In German it is also called “Christmas star.”

R

reindeer | s Rentier (-e)
Rejoice! | Freut euch! Freue dich!
CAROLS: German Christmas Carols, including “O du fröhliche” (“O you joyous [time]”)
ring [bells] (v.) | erklingen, klingeln
rod, switch | e Rute (see “Ruprecht” below)
Ruprecht | r Ruprecht, Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus
» Ruprecht is a demonic figure who accompanies St. Nicholas to punish bad children with his Rute (switch); based on mythical winter figures going back to pagan times. He is rarely seen today – or changed into a “good” Ruprecht. Also known as: Hans Muff, Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, or Nickel. In some parts of Germany, Ruprecht is good – just another Weihnachtsmann, and Krampus is the bad guy.

S

Saint Nicholas | r Heilige Nikolaus

Saint Nicholas is not Santa Claus or the American “Saint Nick.” December 6, the Feast of St. Nicholas, is the day upon which the original Bishop Nicholas of Myra (today in Turkey) is commemorated – and is the date of his death in the year 343. He was later granted sainthood. The German Sankt Nikolaus, dressed as a bishop, brings gifts on that day. (Also see “Ruprecht” above.) According to legend, it was also Bishop Nicholas who gave us the Christmas tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace. The kindly bishop is said to have thrown bags of gold for the poor down the chimney. The bags landed in stockings that had been hung by the fire to dry. This Saint Nicholas legend may also partly explain the American custom of Santa coming down the chimney with his bag of gifts. See our St. Nicholas page for more.

Santa Claus, Father Christmas | r Weihnachtsmann
St. Nikolaus Day | r Nikolaustag (Dec. 6)
MORE: St. Nicholas – The many St. Nicks
(the) Savior | r Heiland, r Retter
sheep | s Schaf (-e)
shepherd(s) | r Hirt (-en), r Schäfer (-)
“Silent Night” | “Stille Nacht”
» The world’s most popular Christmas carol was created 200 years ago in Austria by Franz Gruber (music) and Joseph Mohr (text), and first performed by them with guitar accompaniment in Oberndorf bei Salzburg on Christmas Eve of 1818. More: “Silent Night” Lyrics
sing | singen
» to sing Christmas carols | Weihnachtslieder singen
sled, sleigh, toboggan | r Schlitten (-)
snow (n.) | r Schnee
snow (v.) | schneien
» It’s snowing. | Es schneit.
snowball | r Schneeball
snowflake(s) | e Schneeflocke (-n)
snowman | r Schneemann
snowmen | Schneemänner
snow sled/sleigh | r Schlitten
snowy (adj.) | schneeig, schneebedeckt (covered), Schnee- (in noun compounds)
stable, stall | r Stall
stand, booth (at a Christmas market) | r Stand, e Bude (-n)
» the mulled wine stand = r Glühweinstand, e Glühweinbude
star(s) | r Stern (-e)
star singers | Sternsinger
» German “star singers” are young people dressed as the Wise Men, who make their rounds during Epiphany to raise money for Catholic missions all over the world. See Epiphany and the Sternsinger for more.
straw star(s) | r Strohstern (Strohsterne) – A traditional Christmas decorations made of straw.

T

(the) Three Wise Men, Three Kings, Magi | die Heiligen Drei Könige, die Weisen
» Also see “C+M+B” above.
MORE: Star Singers and C+M+B
tinsel | s Lametta, r Flitter
» In Germany and many parts of the world, tinsel is now banned because it interferes with Christmas tree recycling.
MORE: German Christmas Ornaments and tinsel’s German origins
toy(s) | s Spielzeug(e)

V

vanilla crescent(s) | s Vanillekipferl (-n)
» The Austrian/Bavarian pastry called Vanillekipferln or just Kipferln are small sweet baked crescents covered with powdered vanilla sugar. Traditionally served around Christmas, Kipferln also come in nut (Nuss), almond (Mandeln) and other varieties.

W

(the) Wise Men, the Magi | die Weisen, die Heiligen Drei Könige
wreath | r Kranz
» Advent wreath | r Adventskranz

Next | Christmas Vocabulary: German-English

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