"Every year ...": Advent and Christmas in Germany

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Advent and Christmas. This is for many people the best time of year. All over the world it is celebrated. We would like to describe you how this time is celebrated in Germany.

Advent: Jesus is coming soon

During Advent we are preparing for Christmas. The word "Advent" comes from Latin and means "arrival." During this time, we remember that Jesus Christ came into this world as a child and that he will come back as LORD soon.

During Advent, the city streets are brightly lit. Everywhere hang lights and colorful ornaments. Stars hang in the windows and other Christmas figures of paper. And in many kitchens it smells like cinnamon. People are beginning to bake Christmas cookies and special Christmas cake.

Many children also have an advent calendar. For each of the 24 days in December through Christmas you can find a piece of chocolate or something else behind little doors. But there are also calendars, which make the mothers and older children themselves. They fill it with nice things, such with nuts, fruit, chocolate or small toys. In some old Advent calendars you can still be found behind each window a biblical promise that points to the coming of Christus.

At this week’s you can found Advent wreath in some flats, with four candles. Each Sunday in Advent a new candle is lit. If all four candles are lit, it's almost Christmas. To this the children sing some songs like: "Advent, Advent, ein Lichtlein brennt, erst eins, dann zwei, dann drei, dann vier; dann steht das Christkind vor der Tür."

Nikolaus come to our house ...

On 6 December we celebrated the St. Nikolaus Day in Germany, this day is the commemoration day for the Bishop Nikolaus of Myra, who lived in the 4th Century and has been cared particularly for the children. The evening before this day the girls and boys put their boots and shoes in front of the door. They want that the Nicholas fills them with sweets and fruit.  Sometimes someone in a Santa Claus costume go from house to house to give presents to the children. He always has a cane for the bad children and a bag full of small gifts for the good children. In a big book he reads to them what they've done for good and bad things, and thereupon he distributed small gifts. But mostly everyone gets something.

Christmas: Jesus is born

The Christ Child and the distribution of gifts includes, for Christmas. Since the 16th Century, there is the custom. At this time the Christ child sent a bag of five things into the house: toys, candy, a coin, a piece of clothing and items for the school. Since the Christmas presents grew up, they are put on the so-called "gift table".

The focus of the gifts table today is a Christmas tree with glowing candles and colored balls. No other German custom is so known in the worl. Some people even put a crib under the tree. The event of Bethlehem is recreated here with various figures. In a stall are a donkey and an ox, as well as Mary and Joseph. Sometimes you can also see the shepherds with their sheep and the three wise men from the East. In the middle stands a manger. Therein lies a little doll that is to represent Jesus as a child.


The evening before Christmas day is “Heiligabend” (Christmas Eve 24.12.). Many people go to church that night. There, they sing songs and hear the Christmas story from the Bible. Sometimes, the children play a "nativity", where the Christmas story is presented.





After the service, it's time for the gifts that have been previously placed under the Christmas tree. Thereafter, all were happy, but most of the children. Some children have already previously written a "wish list" which they give to their parents. Whether they find what they have been asking for under the tree?

Christmas Eve is often completed with a meal, but on Christmas Day (25.12.) the party goes further. The housewives cook something good to eat, often carp, goose or a delicious roast and also homemade cakes. At this festival comes everyone from the family. Christmas is a family celebration.