What are the customs for Germans on Christmas?

Answer 1

In December, you go shopping. There is something called "Weihnachtsmarkt" (Christmas Market), where you drink mulled wine, buy outrageously expensive little presents and get wet or freeze. Christmas markets take up a lot of space in the pedestrian area or wherever it is you go shopping, and as everyone takes up the idea to go shopping at the same time, it's not a very pleasant experience. You just get squeezed, and there are long lines at the cash desks. Everyone is stressed out, as there is so much left to do before Christmas. There are lots of Christmas parties, at work and such.

Oh, and for children, there's the Nikolaus, which is Santa Claus on December 6. For everyone, Christmas in on December 24. Christmas Eve is what's most important here. Everything sort of shuts down. I mean, museums, pools, even public transportation stops on Christmas Eve at about 7 or 8 p.m. You spend Christmas Eve with your family or with people you know very well. If you are religious, even just a little bit, you go to Church in the evening of the 24 th.

Oh, and I forgot. There's the Christmas tree, and of course you exchange presents and all that.

The next two days are then usually spent visiting relatives and friends, eating too many cookies and other good stuff.

That's mainly it. If I could afford it, I guess I'd spend every Christmas somewhere in the sun ;-)