A Guide to Christmas Customs in Austria, Germany and Switzerland

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QUIZ: Advent and Christmas Quiz 1 – Try this fun self-scoring quiz!

A

• Advent – The Latin word means “arrival.” This custom begins on the first Advent Sunday around December 1.
• Advent Calendar – An online calendar with daily Christmas facts starting on December 1
• Advent wreath (Adventskranz) > Advent
• Austria (Österreich) is home to many of our Christmas customs, including “Silent Night” (“Stille Nacht”)

“Stille Nacht” – An Austrian Christmas carol goes round the world

B

• Barbarazweig – The legend and the Christmas custom that involves cherry-tree branches and St. Barbara

C

• C+M+B and the Sternsinger – Why do Austrians and Germans inscribe these letters (or K+M+B) over the front door? This custom is related to January 6 (Epiphany).
• Christkindl (Christmas angel) – Besides the Weihnachtsmann, one of the bringers of gifts for Christmas. > Christmas and St. Nikolaus and the Weihnachtsmann
• Christmas Carols – Popular German and Austrian carols with lyrics in German and English
• Christmas Compared: Christmas in the USA and Germany – A comparison chart
• Christmas Eve | Heiligabend – December 24 is the time for exchanging gifts in Germany. > St. Nikolaus
• Christmas Markets in Germany and Europe – An overview of the top Weihnachtsmärkte in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
• Christmas Pickle Ornament – Is it really a German tradition?
• Christmas Tree (Tannenbaum) – Where did the Christmas tree originate? The German Christmas tree.

D

• “Dinner for One” – All about this strange German New Year’s TV tradition – broadcast in English
• Dreikönigstag | Epiphany (Jan. 6) – Why this date?

E

• Epiphany – Dreikönigstag (January 6) – Why is this date an important part of Christmas in Germany?
• Erntedank – Comparing Thanksgiving in Germany with the similar tradition in North America

F

• Father Christmas | Weihnachtsmann > St. Nikolaus
• “Frosty der Schneemann” (“Frosty the Snowman”) – Part of our collection of popular German, Austrian and American Christmas carols with lyrics in German and English

G

• German Christmas Carols – Popular carols with lyrics in German and English
• German Glass Pickle Ornament – Is it really a German tradition?
• Glass Ornaments from Germany
• Glühwein (“glow wine”) is hot mulled wine, a delicious Christmas and winter favorite in German-speaking Europe.
• Gruber, Franz – Austrian teacher who composed the music for “Silent Night.” > Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

H

• Holidays / Feiertage – Which holidays are observed when? > German Holidays and Celebrations

J

• Julfest, das | Yuletide > Christmas

K

• K+M+B (also C+M+B) – Why do Austrians and Germans inscribe these letters over the front door? > Epiphany – Dreikönigstag
• “Kling, Glöckchen” (“Ring, Little Bell”) – The German and English lyrics for this popular German children’s Christmas carol.
• Krampus, the Christmas Devil of Alpine Europe – Krampus accompanies St. Nikolaus on Dec. 5-6.
• Krampuslauf – See “Krampus” above for more about this unusual Austrian Christmas custom
• Krippe, die = crèche, nativity scene, manger; crib

L

• “Lasst uns froh und munter sein” – German and English lyrics for this traditional St. Nicholas Christmas song, usually sung leading up to Nicholas Eve on Dec. 5
• Lichter = lights
• Luther, Martin (1483-1546) – Martin Luther was the religious reformer who broke away from the Catholic church to create the Protestant (Evangelisch) church. He also influenced Christmas customs. More…

More on The German Way
Photos: Christmas in Germany – Berlin
Our photographic tour of just a few of Berlin’s 60 Christmas markets

M

• markets | Märkte – German Christmas markets usually run from about Dec. 1 until Christmas. More…
• Martinstag – The Feast of St. Martin (Nov. 11) is the unofficial start of the Christmas season in Germany – > Martinstag and Halloween
• Merry Christmas! = Fröhliche Weihnachten! in German
• Michaelmas | der Michaelistag – The Feast of St. Michael the Archangel (Sept. 29) > Erntedank – Thanksgiving
• Mohr, Josef – Austrian pastor who wrote the words to “Silent Night.” > Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

N

• Nast, Thomas – German-born Thomas Nast was the creator of the modern image of Santa Claus. (No, it wasn’t Coca-Cola!) More…
• New Year’s Eve | Silvester is German for New Year’s Eve. Learn about German Silvester customs, including “Dinner for One.”
• Nicholas – Nikolaus – St. Nikolaus comes on Dec. 6 in Germany.
• nutcracker | Nussknacker – The traditional wooden nutcracker comes from the German state of Thuringia.

O

• Oberndorf, Austria on the Salzach River is the birthplace of Silent Night (Stille Nacht)
• ornaments > Glass Christmas Ornaments from Germany

P

• Pelznickel – Another name for St. Nikolaus
• Photo Gallery: Christmas in Germany – Berlin – A visual tour!
• pickle | die Gurke – Is the German glass pickle ornament really German? > The German Pickle Ornament
• poinsettia = der Weihnachtsstern (“Christmas star”)

Q

• Quiz > Advent and Christmas Quiz 1 – A self-scoring quiz

R

• Ruprecht accompanies St. Nicholas on Dec. 5-6. Is he the good guy or the bad guy? > St. Nikolaus and Knecht Ruprecht
• Rute, die | switch – Used by Ruprecht or Krampus. > St. Nikolaus

S

• Santa Claus > Thomas Nast and St. Nikolaus
• Silvester (New Year’s Eve) > New Year’s Eve – German New Year’s Customs
• Silent Night (Stille Nacht) – Our “Silent Night” page has the true story of this world-famous Austrian carol.
• “Silent Night” Lyrics – The famous Austrian carol’s words in German and English
• Star Singers (Sternsinger) – The custom of “Star Singers” is well-known in German-speaking Europe and some other parts of Europe – related to January 6 (Epiphany) and the C+M+B house-blessing ceremony.

T

• Tannenbaum – Where did the Christmas tree originate? > The Christmas Tree
• Thanksgiving & Erntedank – How are these two thanksgiving customs different?

W

• Weihnachtslieder > Christmas Carols – Popular German and Austrian carols with lyrics in German and English
• Weihnachtsmann | Father Christmas > St. Nikolaus and the Weihnachtsmann
• der Weihnachtsstern = poinsettia; Christmas star
• “Weiße Weihnacht” (“White Christmas”) – Part of our collection of popular German, Austrian and American Christmas carols with lyrics in German and English
• wreath | der Kranz > Advent – The “arrival”

XYZ

• Xmas – An abbreviation for Christmas that comes from the Greek. > Christmas
• Yuletide | das Julfest > Christmas

Next | Holidays and Celebrations Calendar

Related Pages
AT THE GERMAN WAY

• Advent Calendar – An online calendar with daily Christmas facts starting on December 1
• Advent and Christmas Quiz 1 – A self-scoring quiz
• German Christmas Carols – Popular carols with lyrics in German and English
• Holidays and Celebrations Calendar for Austria, Germany and Switzerland
• History & Culture – Austria, Germany and Switzerland