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Christmas Activities on German Culture

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Many German Christmas traditions have similarities to American Christmas traditions.

Christmas in the United States has many traditions carried over from German culture. Traditions such as the gingerbread house and the Christmas tree have their origins in Germany. Others are less popular in the United States, but many of the lesser-known traditions have similarities to American Christmas traditions.

  1. The Tannenbaum

    • The idea of the Christmas tree originated in Germany.
      The idea of the Christmas tree originated in Germany.

      The American tradition of taking a Christmas tree home and decorating it with lights began in Germany. The first recorded instance of a tannenbaum ("tannenbaum" is German for "Christmas tree") was in 1605, when a German chronicler wrote about people setting up Christmas trees in Strasbourg. They decorated their tannenbaums with real wax candles. Modern German trees typically use electric candles.

    Christkind and St. Nicholas

    • St. Nicholas and Christkind are the two Santa-like figures celebrated in German culture.
      St. Nicholas and Christkind are the two Santa-like figures celebrated in German culture.

      Christkind and St. Nicholas are two figures who bring treats to good children in Germany during the Christmas celebration. Christkind, derived from the figure of St. Nicholas, comes on Christmas Eve and leaves children gifts. St. Nicholas Tag (St. Nicholas Day) is celebrated on Dec. 6. Children leave a shoe or boot outside their house and hope that St. Nicholas will come and leave them gifts. Children celebrate either Christkind, St. Nicholas Day or both, but Christkind has a more religious connotation.

    The Advent Calendar

    • The Advent calendar is a way for Germans to keep track of when Christmas is coming. Germans will purchase a box of chocolates with the numbers one through 24 on the box. Behind each number is a chocolate. The numbers correspond with the date (for example: the number one corresponds with Dec. 1). Germans punch out one number per day and eat the chocolate behind it, up until Dec. 24th. Some Germans celebrate Christmas on Dec. 24th because 24 is the last number on the Advent calendar.

    Gingerbread Houses

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  • Photo Credit Christmas spirit image by FJ Medrano from Fotolia.com christmas-tree image by sylvia from Fotolia.com Father Christmas image by Likilomi from Fotolia.com gingerbread house image by jedphoto from Fotolia.com

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