You Know It’s Christmas in Germany When…

It’s less than a month to Christmas and you can already feel the Christmas sprit around the country. So what tell you it’s Christmas in Ujerumani?

Christmas Pastries

Although supermarkets nowadays start stocking Christmas treats from as early as September, it still makes you feel Christmassy when you see Spekulatius, Lebkuchen and Stollen at your local supermarket.

Dark cold days

Coming from Kenya, Christmas falls in the “summer” season of the country. Coming to Germany and learning to celebrate cold, dark white Christmases. When you go to work in darkness and come back home in darkness, and you don’t do night shifts…..then it’s close to Christmas time.

 

Christmas Markets and Glühwein

Every city has at least one of them. And there is no Weihnachtsmarkt without Glühwein, the famous hot “wine”. To beat the cold, make sure you have the Glühwein mit Schuss. It might not save you from freezing, but it’ll make the Weihnachtsmarkt worth it 😉

Sankt Martin (Saint Martin’s Day)

If you have kids, this is the curtain raiser of the Christmas Season. It’s held on 11th of November and the children create small lanterns that they carry around in a procession (Sankt-Martins-Umzug) as they follow a man riding on a horse. The event St. Martin honours Martin, who was a Roman soldier, who is believed to have always been generous with the less fortunate.

Adventskranz

When you see the Adventskranz being sold, then Christmas is around the corner. Adventskranz are sold latest 4weeks before Christmas. Tradition dictates, you light the candles one after the other on the four Sundays before Christmas.

Nikolaustag

Again, this is for those with kids. This is like the event that introduces the main event. Nikolaus Tag, is when children will leave out their boots and expect Nikolaus to fill them with chocolate and other goodies.  Parents please, if you find your kids leaving their shoes outside the house door on December 6th.

Christkind

If you’re in Nürnberg/Nuremberg, the famous Christkind that commences the Christmas celebrations is a must have for it to be Christmas. In Germany, Christmas presents are brought by the Christkind.