Christmas Day

Christmas Day, known in Germany as Erster Weihnachtstag (First Day of Christmas), is observed annually on December 25 and forms the central day of the German Weihnachten season. It commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and is both a major Christian feast and a widely celebrated cultural holiday. Germany’s Christmas period traditionally extends through December 26, Zweiter Weihnachtstag (Second Day of Christmas), which is also a public holiday. In 2026, Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25.

Many customs associated with Christmas developed in German-speaking Europe. Medieval Christian celebrations combined with older wintertime practices, while the Advent season gradually became a period of preparation marked by prayer, candlelight, and family observance. The Christmas tree, or Weihnachtsbaum, gained particular popularity in German regions from the early modern period onward before spreading internationally. The tradition of exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve, rather than exclusively on Christmas Day, was also strongly shaped by German Protestant customs and later became common across much of Europe and North America. Today, German Christmas culture blends church services and religious symbolism with family gatherings, seasonal markets, music, decorated homes, and popular figures such as the Weihnachtsmann and, in some regions, the Christkind.

Although Christmas Day is the official focus of the feast, many German families celebrate their main gathering and gift exchange on the evening of December 24, Heiligabend. Families often decorate the Christmas tree shortly before the celebration, light candles, sing carols, and open presents after a festive meal. On December 25, relatives commonly share a leisurely lunch, attend a church service, visit family members, and enjoy a quieter day at home. Popular foods include roast goose or duck, red cabbage, potato dumplings, and rich sauces, while other households serve simpler regional dishes or continue the tradition of sausages and potato salad associated with Christmas Eve. Stollen, Lebkuchen, Spekulatius, marzipan, and other seasonal sweets are widely enjoyed throughout the holiday period.

German Christmas celebrations also include Advent calendars, Advent wreaths with four candles, nativity scenes, Christmas markets, brass or choral concerts, and the singing of carols such as "O Tannenbaum" and "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht." In parts of Germany, children traditionally receive gifts from the Christkind, while in other areas the Weihnachtsmann is the better-known gift-bringer. A customary greeting is "Frohe Weihnachten!" meaning "Merry Christmas!"; people may also say "Schöne Feiertage!" ("Happy holidays!") during the wider festive period. Because December 25 is a public holiday, most shops and businesses are closed, and public life is generally centered on worship, hospitality, rest, and family time.