Christmas Tree

Christmas trees in Germany are real, you will not normally find plastic Christmas trees like in the U.S. Families go out and pick their own tree at a tree farm, and they are not as expensive as the real trees in the U.S. My host family got their tree for around 20 euros while in America real trees cost around 100 dollars. Christmas trees are not usually decorated until the week before Christmas, using real glass ornaments and not as much lights as American trees have. Usually traditional colors are used, such as red and green, but sometimes blue, silver, and gold are added too. 

Christmas Markets

During the winter people from all over Europe come to Germany and shop at their famous Christmas Markets. These markets are located all over Germany, but each have a different style and size. These historic Christmas Markets offer homemade Christmas gifts, crafts, not to mention roasted chestnuts and other delicious foods. These markets usually start the last week in November and end Christmas Eve, and open from 10 am to 8 or 9 pm each day. 

                                                Christmas Market Bonn, Germany

Advent Calendars

Like in America kids in Germany do get Advent calendars with the most popular ones containing chocolate. Other popular ones have toys, candy, little notes or parts of a story, and I have seen one that was an Advent calendar with different types of tea each day.

This is a picture of the Advent calendar that I got, which contained chocolate!

Another German custom is Advent wreaths, which are normally hand made by a family member. Advent wreaths are made of evergreen leaves and have four candles, signifying  the 4 sundays before Christmas. Even thought the one my host family and I made is not a wreath, it still held the same purpose .

9th of December St Nicholas Day

On the ninth of December children wake up in Germany, and to their surprise they find candy, chocolate, and fruit in their shoes. The night before children are told by their parents to clean their shoes and place them by the door so St. Nicholas has some place to leave the treats. Some people celebrate St. Nicholas in America but most children receive their gifts in stocking instead of shoes.