When is Christmas celebrated in Germany?

In Germany, Christmas (Weihnachten) is celebrated primarily on December 24th and 25th, though the festivities generally begin well in advance. In many regions, the Christmas season kicks off with the opening of the Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) in late November. These markets feature stalls selling traditional food, crafts, and gifts and typically have rides and other activities for children.

On December 24th, which is Christmas Eve (Heiligabend), families often gather for a festive meal in the evening. This meal usually consists of traditional dishes like roasted goose or duck with red cabbage and dumplings. After dinner, children exchange their gifts from Santa Claus (Weihnachtsmann) or the Christkind ("Christ Child"), a figure closely associated with Christmas in some regions of Germany.

On December 25th, Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag), families continue the celebrations. Typically, there is another meal or special breakfast and church services are often held. Throughout the Christmas season, it's common to hear Christmas carols (Weihnachtslieder) and see nativity scenes (Krippen) in both homes and public areas. And it also common for cities and towns to have Christmas decorations, with markets and Christmas trees being particularly prominent.