What do Germans do for New Year’s Eve (Silvester) and New Year’s Day (Neujahr)? Read here about German New Year’s traditions, from Dinner for One to eating Berliner.
Category: Holidays
The Christmas season calls for Poinsettias or as Germans call them Weihnachtsstern. Imported from Mexico by Joel Roberts Poinsett it became popular through clever marketing by the German immigrant Ecke family.
December 4th is Saint Barbara’s Feast Day. She converted to Christianity and died as a martyr. Find out here why we cut cherry tree branches on Saint Barbara Day, and how it relates to the patron of artillerymen and miners.
On the first day of school, German children receive a cone filled with candy and school supplies – die Schultüte. It’s a tradition dating back to the 1800s.
We all know that the Easter bunny brings the Easter eggs. But it wasn’t always just the bunny; for example there was the fox – der Osterfuchs.
On February 22nd, the town of Haslach celebrates Storchentag (Day of the Stork) to commemorate when the storks saved the city from vermin.
During Advent, Germans mark the four Sundays before Christmas by lighting candles on an Advent Wreath. Find out about the custom and its older alternative, the Paradeisl or Klausenbaum.
Advent Wreaths are a German tradition that starts the Adventszeit, the time before Christmas. Find out here how to make an advent wreath.
It’s almost December 1st. Did you get your advent calendar yet? Are you buying or making one for your kid, your friend, your spouse? Here are some ideas and facts about advent calendars.
Buß- und Bettag is the Wednesday before the last Sunday in the liturgical year. In English, it’s called Day of Prayer and Repentance.
