Name: Gifts and Glühwein: A German Christmas story
Uploaded: 2025-12-06T15:09:41.833Z
Duration: 5 min 8 s
Description: DW’s Hallie Rawlinson moved to Germany from the U.S. But Christmas is a little different here. Mulled wine, festive markets, and early presents?

DW’s Hallie Rawlinson moved to Germany from the U.S. But Christmas is a little different here. Mulled wine, festive markets, and early presents?

Berlin

Christmas in Germany is marked by unique traditions, including exchanging gifts on December 24th rather than the 25th, and the widespread celebration of Christmas markets that begin in late November or early December. These markets offer festive foods such as candied almonds and Käsespätzle, as well as the popular spiced hot wine known as Glühwein, often enjoyed outdoors despite the cold winter nights.

The holiday season also features regional differences, such as the Christkind delivering gifts in some areas instead of Santa Claus, and the tradition of setting up Christmas trees on Christmas Eve. While church membership is declining, a large majority of Germans continue to celebrate Christmas, making it a significant cultural event that brings families together for several days of festivities.

Gifts and Glühwein: A German Christmas story

Merry Christmas! It's time for gifts! Oh Hayley, you missed it! What? It's December 25th, it's Christmas! Yeah, in Germany we give out the Christmas gifts on the 24th of December. And this was just one of the things that shocked me about my first Christmas in Germany, but more on that later. First of all, you should know Germans love Christmas, and this time of year it's a pretty big deal. Halloween has really only been somewhat popular here since the 90s. Thanksgiving obviously isn't a thing here, and carnival celebrations around this time happen only in some parts of Germany. So when the air even starts to get cold, the Germans go chestnuts roasting on an open fire for the idea of Christmas coming up. And it makes sense, Germany has historically been majority Christian, and while the number of Germans who belong to a Christian church is dwindling, around 81% of people in Germany still say they celebrate Christmas. And in all honesty, it makes sense to fiercely celebrate anything that brightens up the dark winter nights here. By December in Germany, the sun rises around 8 a.m. and sets at around 4 p.m., which means 16 hours of darkness. So what do you do in Germany when you get out of work and it's already dark? Obviously you go to the Christmas market. Growing up in Ohio, Christmas parties and activities were usually indoors. With the exception of the Santa Claus that came down my street each year in a pickup truck. No, I'm not kidding. Maybe we'd go caroling or driving around to look at elaborate lights displays, but I'd never heard of a Christmas market until I moved to Germany. So you can imagine my surprise and interest when a German friend invited me here to my first one and insisted I had to try this one specific drink. You have to try the Glühwein. It's hot wine brewed with spices. Hot wine? Uh, okay. Cool. But wait, I forgot to put the shot in. The shot? Yeah, we usually put amaretto or ramen. That will really keep you warm. That's when I learned how Germans can stay out in the cold for so long. And that admitting to not liking Glühwein is basically like admitting to not liking dogs or ice cream. You will be questioned. Not that I don't like it. There are thousands of Christmas markets across Germany, usually starting up in late November or early December and running through Christmas. And they're pretty much all super charming. This market, held in front of an actual palace that was once home to Frederick the Great and Napoleon, is actually kind of new, but some have been around since the Middle Ages. Just casual European things. And if you come to a Christmas market, you have to try the food. My favorites are the candied almonds. They smell amazing and taste just as good. And the Käsespätzle, which for me is kind of like a German mac and cheese. And of course, it's always fun to shop for some handcrafted and traditional German Christmas gifts. But, and this is important, if you're invited to a German family Christmas party, make sure you have your gifts a little earlier than you might expect. I learned the hard way when I didn't have my gifts wrapped in time that Germans traditionally give them out on December 24th, Christmas Eve or Holy Evening. But where's your present? I think I forgot that. And there are two more days of Christmas after that, but these mostly involve home-cooked dinners and family time. But just when I thought I understood everything there was to know about Christmas in Germany, I learned it's not always Santa who brings the Christmas gifts here. In some regions of Germany, it's the Christkind, literally Christ child. What I thought was a literal baby Jesus delivering gifts is actually an angel-like figure, allegedly invented by Martin Luther, but later adopted by the Catholics, who sneaks into the home on the 24th to deliver presents while the children are away. The sound of a bell signals the Christkind is gone and the children can come back into the living room and look at their gifts. And get this, arrive too early to a German Christmas gathering and there might not even be a Christmas tree set up at all. Traditionally, Germans don't decorate or set up a tree until the 24th, although this is changing nowadays. Quite a difference from Americans, who sometimes decorate their Christmas tree as early as November. But considering Germans are the claimed inventors of the modern Christmas tree, I guess I can't question them. But in all seriousness, I like that Germans get to spend a few days with their family and I've learned to love Christmas in my new home.

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