Christmas in Germany
To get into the holiday season mood, many German families start decorating their homes and celebrate the Advent.
German culture and traditional activities include a circular Advent wreath made of pine branches, which is set up and placed on the table 4 weeks before Christmas Eve. The Advent wreath is decorated with four candles which get lit one by one each Sunday, till all 4 candles are lit on the last Sunday prior to Christmas.
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Contents at a Glance
German Christmas Markets
World famous and fun to go
A very popular warm drink on Christmas markets and during the holiday season is Glow Wine (Gluehwein). Gluehwein is a warm red wine seasoned with cloves, cinnamon sticks, peel of a lemon or orange and sugar , which is served out of small market stands at the Christmas market. For kids they serve hot fruit punch. It is tradition to visit the Christmas market at least every Sunday during the 4 weeks of advent time before Christmas. It is also a fun place for after work meeting with colleagues and friends during the week.
Munich
The Tollwood winter festival, -an awesome and unique winter wonderland Christmas market - features furthermore a cultural program of theater, cabaret, performance and art; they have also a "world saloon" - a forum for current social and ecological themes in the world.
Munich Tollwood winter festival
Nuremberg
The world famous Christmas market
Christkindles market Nuremberg
Other Christmas Markets in Germany
Overview and information of German Christmas Markets
German Christmas Market in the USA
German Christmas market in Chicago
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Original German Gluehwein
The classic Christmas market drink from Germany
- Serves: 5
- Prep Time: 5
- Total Time: 20
This fragrant holiday drink will make you glow with warmth.
Ingredients
- 3 bottle red wine Chardonnay or Côtes- du- Rhone
- 8 tablespoons sugar
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 cardamon seeds
- 1 star-anise
- 3 oranges
- 1 lemon
- 1 apple
- 3 tbsp raisins
Instructions
Slice 1 orange and remove the core of the apple, chop the apple.
Squeeze 2 oranges and 1 lemon.
Place all ingredients exept of the sugar!!! in a pot and slowly bring it to simmer with low heat.
Do not boil !
Cover and let steep on a very low flame for about 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and star-anise after 20 minutes as they have a very intensive flavor. Add sugar , stir well and your gluehwein is ready. Serve hot!
Santa Claus
is St. Nikolaus
During this night St. Nikolaus the patron saint of all children, goes from house to house carrying his golden book of sins in which all of the naughtiness of the children are written. If they have been good during the year, he will fill the shoe or boot with candy treats, nuts and tangerine, if they haven't been good, their shoe get filled with brittle branches.
Christmas
It is common, to set up the Christmas tree during the afternoon of the 24th December. Without knowing of the kids, one parent or both will decorate the Christmas tree. Choice of ornaments became fashion and varies from household to household and often from year to year. All Christmas presents are placed under the tree and gift giving will be on Christmas Eve. Kids are told to remain in their room from late afternoon on, because the Child Christ will come this evening after dark.
Most of German families visit on Christmas Eve first the church, before they have dinner at home. It is very common to have on Christmas Eve only a simple meal for dinner, usually potato salad and sausage, which will be served after church and before the gift giving.
The living room with the Christmas tree and the gifts is locked for children. When the family has almost finished dinner one of the parents (usually the father) will sneak out and ring a little bell. This little bell serves only this moment and is the signal for the children to enter the mysterious magical Christmas room to see what presents the Child Christ left under the Christmas tree. Now it's time to admire the wonderful tree and unwrap the presents.
Additionally Germans have 2 further Christmas holidays on the 25th and 26th of December. On those days it's time to visit grandparents and other relatives. It is wonderful time for family and relatives to get together, having lunch and enjoy the holidays. Typical festive German Christmas dishes are Goose, Duck and Sauerbraten - German Braised Beef Pot Roast.
A German Christmas 2011
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German Christmas Stollen
German Christmas Cake
Dresdner Kreuzchor: Stille Nacht (Silent night)
Sauerbraten - German Braised Beef Pot Roast
- Serves: 6
- Prep Time: 2.5 hours
- Total Time: 4-5 days
This dish needs a little preparation time in advance, but it is worth all the work. It taste and smells like Christmas.
Sauerbraten - the German name for "sour braised meat" is an old traditional German festive dish.
It is a beef roast that is marinated for a 4 days in red wine, vinegar and spices, that the meat acquires a pleasant flavor.
Marinating in an acidic environment tenderize the meat.
After the 4 -5 days marinating time the meat will be braised with vegetables, raisin and some of the marinade .
The roast is served with a sweet and sour sauce that is made from the braising liquid. Serve together with potato dumplings and German braised red cabbage.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs (1kg) roast beef
- 1 bottle of dry red wine
- 1 cup( 250ml) red wine vinegar or regular vinegar
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1 tbsp black pepper seeds
- 1tbsp mustard seeds
- 5 bay leaves
- 7 whole gloves
- 4 juniper berries
- 4 pimento seeds or allspice
- 2 stalk celery chopped into 1 inch chunks
- 2 carrot chopped into 1 inch chunks
- 1 leek chopped into 1 inch chunks
- 1 onion chopped into 1 inch chunks
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 cup raisins
- salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- gingerbread
- real german pumpernickel bread
- 1-3 tbsp honey
- cruched peppercorns
Instructions
Part 1 - Marinating the meat 4-5 days in advance:
Combine bottle of wine vinegar, salt, black pepper seeds, mustard seeds,whole gloves, juniper berries, pimento seeds, garlic cloves and bay leaf in a large pot or bowl.
Add beef, onion, carrot and celery. It is important that the liquid covers all the meat, if it doesn't add more vinegar. Cover tightly with plastic and marinate, refrigerated, (turn meat around once a day) for 4 to 5 days.
Part 2 - making the Sauerbraten - Braised Beef Pot Roast
Remove meat from marinade.
Remove spice ingredients from the marinade with a sieve , keep the marinade liquid and the vegetables separate.
Heat oil in a large pot and roast the meat gently on all sides at high heat.
Add the vegetables from the marinade and 1 cup raisins.
Add 2 cups water and 1 cup of the marinade and turn heat to medium-low.
Cover pot with lid and let gently simmer for 120 minutes , until the meat shreds a bit. Control from time to time during simmering that there is still enough liquid in the meat pot, add more water when needed.
Remove the pot from oven, remove meat from pot and place on a platter.
Strain the liquid into a saucepan. To finish the sauce, add some gingerbread, crumbles of a half slice of pumpernickel bread, and 1 cup raisins and 1 -3 tbsp honey. If you want the sauce a bit more sour and from the marinade liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cook uncovered to reduce and thicken the sauce.
Serve with potato dumplings and German braised red cabbage
Bavarian Potato Dumplings
Kartoffelknoedel
- Serves: 6
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 60
Fresh homemade Bavarian Potato Dumplings are very delicious, but cause a lot of work. It is also very common in Germany to use a Potato Dumpling mix if you don't want to make them from scratch.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb potatoes
- 1 egg
- 4 tbsp salt
- potato starch
- flour
Instructions
Bavarian potato dumplings are made of cooked and raw potatoes.
Peel half of the potatoes, and boil them in salted water salted water for approx. 20 min. or until the potatoes are cooked through.
Peel the other half of the potatoes and grate finely with a food processor.
Place the grated potatoes on a tea towel, close the tea towel and press as much liquid out of the potatoes as possible, collecting the liquid in a bowl.
Place the dry grated raw potatoes in another bowl.
Allow the liquid to stand for a while and let the potato starch settle at the bottom.
When the potato starch has settled at the bottom of the bowl, pour carefully the water away and add the potato starch to the dry pressed grated potatoes.
Add the egg, salt
Strain the cooked potatoes and allow cooling down.
Mash the cooked potatoes and mix them together with the raw grated potatoes to achieve firm dough.
Coat your hands with flour and form 6 round dumplings.
Bring a large pot salted water to boil.
When water boils, turn the heat down on medium/low.
Place the dumplings in the water and let simmer for approx. 20 minutes.
Do not boil again!
Remove the dumplings with a slatted spoon
German Braised Red Cabbage
- Serves: 4-6
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 1,5 hours
Red cabbage (Blaukraut, also known as Rotkohl), is a popular German side dish. It is most often served with sauerbraten, pork roast, goose, duck and a side of mashed potatoes or potato dumplings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Lard or oil
- 1 onion
- chopped finely
- 1-2 apple
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3-4 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat the lard or oil over medium flame in a large pot.
Add the onions and sauté until translucent, or for 2 to 3 minutes.
After the onions have been sautéed add 1-2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced. Heat through 1-2 minutes before adding the cabbage.
Add the cabbage in batches, stirring each addition until it wilts and begins to cook down.
Stir in the vinegar and then add the remaining ingredients.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.
Adjust seasoning and serve.
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Do you like German Christmas Traditions and Recipes?
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New Guestbook Comments
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navalava
Feb 20, 2012 @ 10:31 am | delete
- I always liked reading about different traditions. I enjoyed your lens! And your recipes look yummy.
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claudiatuli
Feb 20, 2012 @ 10:47 am | delete
- thank you for visiting and squid liking my lens.
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nyclittleitaly
Dec 28, 2011 @ 9:36 am | delete
- Great lens..
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claudiatuli
Dec 28, 2011 @ 1:44 pm | delete
- Hi nyclittleitaly,Thank you for liking my lens
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Michey Dec 24, 2011 @ 11:02 pm | delete
- The warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
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Squidoolinepro
Dec 22, 2011 @ 11:30 am | delete
- Really great info on German Christmas Traditions!
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andradar
Dec 22, 2011 @ 11:00 am | delete
- You created a great lens!
It is always interesting to learn about other people's traditions. We in Latvia similar celebrating Christmas - differ only in our dishes.
Best wishes for Christmas!
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fullofshoes
Dec 20, 2011 @ 9:06 pm | delete
- I am of German descent.... this lens is beautiful to me. Happy holidays. danke schoen.
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claudiatuli
Dec 21, 2011 @ 12:02 pm | delete
- Dear fullofshoes, I am glad you like it and it reminds youi of your German roots. Happy Holiday to you too
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Deadicated
Dec 17, 2011 @ 4:16 pm | delete
- Wunderbar!
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claudiatuli
Dec 21, 2011 @ 12:01 pm | delete
- thank you Deadicated! Merry Christmas!
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alwaysjules Dec 15, 2011 @ 11:17 pm | delete
- Ausgezeichnet! Froliche Weinachten!!
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claudiatuli
Dec 17, 2011 @ 6:30 am | delete
- Thank you very much alwaysjules! Danke schoen, Merry Christmas to you tooo!
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Merstarr
Dec 15, 2011 @ 7:31 pm | delete
- My mom was born in Germany. Thank you for this lens. Merry Christmas.
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claudiatuli
Dec 17, 2011 @ 6:29 am | delete
- Dear Merstarr, I am glad that you like my German Christmas Tradition lens and that it keeps up the memories of your roots. A Merry Christmas to you tooo!
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laurenjane13
Dec 15, 2011 @ 7:42 am | delete
- I have experienced an Asian Christmas celebration. I hope someday I can experience the German holiday season too. Great lens!
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claudiatuli
Dec 17, 2011 @ 6:27 am | delete
- Hi Laurenjane13, thank you for stopping by and leaving a note. Merry Christmas to you!
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SheWritesaLot
Dec 14, 2011 @ 10:22 pm | delete
- I love to read about Christmas traditions in other countries. And Germany always seems so beautiful. Wonderful lens. blessed
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claudiatuli
Dec 15, 2011 @ 6:35 am | delete
- Hi SheWritesaLot, thank you so much for stopping by and liking and blessing my lens! Merry Christmas to you!
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MaggiePowell
Dec 14, 2011 @ 8:13 pm | delete
- Love this lens... Beautiful images, yummy recipes...thanks also for linking to my German Christmas Markets on the Rhine lens... Frohe Weinachten!
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claudiatuli
Dec 15, 2011 @ 6:33 am | delete
- Hi Maggie, thanks for loving my German Christmas Tradition lens, and I enjoyed your German Christmas Markets on the Rhine lens as well, thats why I posted it under featured lenses. I wish you a very merry Christmas too!
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survivoryea
Dec 14, 2011 @ 7:12 pm | delete
- I lived in Kitzingen for two years and loved everything about Germany--Nothing is more beautiful than Christmas in a small German village, your lens brought back many happy memories.
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claudiatuli
Dec 15, 2011 @ 6:31 am | delete
- Hi Survivoryea, thanks for stopping by and leaving a note. I am glad to hear that my lens brought back up some beautiful thoughts and memories about Christmas in Germany! Merry Christmas!
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claudiatuli
Dec 15, 2011 @ 6:31 am | delete
- Hi Survivoryea, thanks for stopping by and leaving a note. I am glad to hear that my lens brought back up some beautiful thoughts and memories about Christmas in Germany! Merry Christmas!
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kimmanleyort
Dec 14, 2011 @ 9:07 am | delete
- I agree that this lens gives such a flavor of a German Christmas. Thanks for sharing your traditions and recipes. Blessed.
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claudiatuli
Dec 15, 2011 @ 6:29 am | delete
- Thank you for visiting, liking and blessing my German Christmas lens!
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Tipi
Dec 5, 2011 @ 12:19 am | delete
- Absolutely delightful from start to finish and I was fascinated with your recipes, wonderfully done to present the flavor of a German Christmas!
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claudiatuli
Dec 5, 2011 @ 7:19 am | delete
- Thank you for you kind words Tipi! I am glad you like it :-)
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PeterStreep
Dec 4, 2011 @ 5:34 pm | delete
- wow, thanks for the lens. I love gluehwein, Being Dutch and now living in Spain, I probably wil make the gluehwein this year with Spanish wine instead of Côtes- du- Rhone. And will put some self picked oranges in it (There are several orange groves around the corner.)
Loved the Lens. Danke, Die Lenze war einwandfrei ;-) thanks.
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claudiatuli
Dec 5, 2011 @ 7:28 am | delete
- Hoi Peter! Dankjewel en tuurlijk een spaanse wijn kan ook! Prettige kerstdaagen! Wat mooi dat je lekker de oranjes zelf kunt plukken!
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albadvert
Dec 1, 2011 @ 9:00 am | delete
- Cool lens. And the menu bar is very nice. How did u do that?
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claudiatuli
Dec 1, 2011 @ 2:21 pm | delete
- thank you! when you create a lens, in the first textmodule - the introduction module, there is a tab called Table of Content, you simply activate it there and save it. It will apear on your lens.
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MaxReily
Nov 25, 2011 @ 7:53 pm | delete
- Thank you for such a delightful lens! I wasn't aware of these German Christmas customs. Thanks for sharing your Christmas traditions. And thanks also for the great recipes. I really enjoyed this lens1
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claudiatuli
Nov 26, 2011 @ 12:48 pm | delete
- Hi Max, I am glad you enjoyed reading it. Thank you very much!
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WriterJanis
Nov 24, 2011 @ 1:20 am | delete
- You have some really good sounding recipes here. Thanks for sharing the traditions.
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WordCustard
Nov 2, 2011 @ 8:55 am | delete
- Christmas just somehow feels more Christmas-y in Germany. It's a wonderful place to celebrate. You've put an interesting page together here.
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claudiatuli
Nov 4, 2011 @ 8:21 am | delete
- Thank you WordCustard, its seems you have been to Germany before. I indeed miss the German Christmas feeling and the markets since I live in the USA.
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NevermoreShirts
Oct 18, 2011 @ 8:59 am | delete
- I love learning about other countries' traditions - wonderful lens, keep up the awesome work!
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JoshK47
Oct 18, 2011 @ 8:46 am | delete
- Such a wonderful article - I love German food and German traditions. :) Makes me hungry for potato dumplings!
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Sylvestermouse
Oct 13, 2011 @ 4:36 pm | delete
- This is a beautiful article! I will definitely have to try the potato dumplins. Thanks!
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claudiatuli
Oct 13, 2011 @ 6:44 pm | delete
- Thank you Sylvestermouse!
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Close2Art
Oct 12, 2011 @ 7:08 pm | delete
- these dishes look so yummy, love this page...:)rwjr
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Susan52
Oct 11, 2011 @ 10:02 pm | delete
- I'm happy to have the red cabbage recipe. I've fixed it before but no longer have the recipe. Now I do! (Welcome to Squidoo!)
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claudiatuli
Oct 13, 2011 @ 6:45 pm | delete
- I am glad you like it.
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ThisAndMoreofThat
Oct 11, 2011 @ 7:32 am | delete
- Very nice lens. Love the information and the recipes.
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claudiatuli
Oct 11, 2011 @ 6:03 pm | delete
- I am glad you like and hope you try the recipes!
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davespeed
Oct 10, 2011 @ 10:13 pm | delete
- Nice lens. The recipes make me hungry!
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claudiatuli
Oct 11, 2011 @ 6:03 pm | delete
- Hi Dave, thanks for stopping my and liking my lens!
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marciag
Oct 10, 2011 @ 3:15 pm | delete
- Great lens! Ganz toll gemacht :)
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claudiatuli
Oct 10, 2011 @ 5:14 pm | delete
- Thank you very much dear marciag!
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MikeTuli
Oct 10, 2011 @ 8:33 am | delete
- great page, love the recipes!!
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This Happy Snowman page written by
claudiatuli
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