Spending Christmas in Germany
If you were asked to think about what countries you would associate with Christmas, your mind would probably turn to Lapland and its reindeer or even straight to the North Pole where Santa's fabled workshop is so often said to be. Germany is probably not among the countries you would imagine had much to do with the holiday season, but Germany has always been a country that revelled in the Christmas holidays and there are few places better in the world in which to enjoy the festive period.
The German people love Christmas and the season starts early for them – from December 5th! This is when children leave their shoes or boots outside the front door so that Santa Claus, known as Nikolaus in Germany, can fill them with small treats. This is just one of many traditions that the Germans observe throughout Christmas and for visiting families it's a great opportunity to teach kids about German culture through gift giving.
Another Christmas must-see in Germany is the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, or Christmas market, which is one of the most popular Christmas markets in the world and quite possibly the oldest too. The origins of the market date back to the mid-16th century and the modern day market retains many of the medieval charms of the original market. The market is known for the quality and diversity of the goods on offer and it's possible to pick up many high quality handcrafted gifts here. You can even pick up some ornaments for your Christmas tree in the country where the Christmas tree tradition began – that's right, Germany is where the first tree was trimmed in the 18th century. There's also plenty here to do with kids as the whole city comes alive with Christmas festivities: plays, concerts and parades are performed regularly and carols are sung throughout the day. Children can also enjoy a ride on one of the city's many historic carousels while the adults warm up with a delicious spiced wine.
A visit to Germany during the festive season is also a great time to see Germany's castles looking their best – set to a backdrop of snow, pine trees and icicles, these ancient buildings look like something straight off of a Christmas card. Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria is one of the most famous castles in the world – inspired by the music of Wagner, this castle was built purely for pleasure by King Ludwig II and its beautiful ornate turrets and Gothic design are a sight for sore eyes.
To find out more about visiting Germany, visit our website or call for more information.
