Winter may be the Northern Hemisphere’s coldest season but it brings some of the warmest moments for friends and family. The last month of the year is packed with grand holidays like Hanukkah and New Year, but Christmas in German-speaking countries is perhaps the biggest celebration of them all. It’s a unique time when people slow down, come together, and celebrate.
Whether you’re writing German Christmas cards, wondering about traditions in Germany, or eager to learn Christmas vocabulary, we’ve got you covered. This guide will teach you how to say Merry Christmas in German and pronounce phrases correctly. So, read on to learn more about the holiday season.
1. How to say Merry Christmas in German
2. Wishing a Happy New Year in German
3. Cozy holiday vocabulary: More ways to say happy holidays
4. How Christmas is celebrated in Germany and Austria
5. Final thoughts: Share the Christmas joy with Drops!
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What better way to embrace the holiday spirit of love and giving than with a warm greeting? Here are the most common German Christmas greetings to spread the holiday cheer.
Translation: Merry Christmas.
Pronunciation:
When to use it: You can’t go wrong with the standard phrase in German for Merry Christmas. You can start the sentence with Ich wünsche dir for casual, and Ich wünsche Ihnen for formal contexts to say “I wish you a Merry Christmas”.
Weihnachten, the word Christmas in German, originates from the Middle High German wīhenahten. It means consecrated or holy nights. While the modern plural of night is Nächte, this expression uses an earlier form, giving us a glimpse into the past and the long tradition of celebrating the holiday.
Translation: Peaceful Christmastime (literally: reflective Christmastime)
Pronunciation:
When to use it: Use this one to express a heartfelt, reflective wish for the season. It also has a slight religious ring to it.
Translation: Warm Christmas greetings! (literally: heartfelt Christmas greetings)
Pronunciation:
When to use it: This is a slightly more formal way to wish someone a Merry Christmas in German. It looks the best in writing, so use it for your Christmas cards and letters.
After mastering the meaning of Frohe Weihnachten, make sure your German Christmas cards shine with perfect spelling. Read our blog post to review the most important spelling rules, and refresh your memory on capitalization in German.
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Now that you know how to say Merry Christmas, you may want to learn some New Year’s wishes since the holidays are so close together! You can combine what you’ve just learned and say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in German in one simple greeting.
Translation: Happy New Year.
Pronunciation:
When to use it: Safe to use in a wide range of situations, this is the most common way to wish someone a Happy New Year.
Translation: Best wishes for the New Year. (Literally: Have a good slide into the New Year)
Pronunciation:
When to use it: In casual situations with friends, family, and colleagues. This is a uniquely German way of wishing someone a smooth transition into the new year.
Translation: A happy New Year! (literally: A lucky new year!)
Pronunciation:
When to use it: Combine it with Merry Christmas for a simple and common festive greeting: “Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr” (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year).
Saying farewell at the end of a holiday celebration or goodbye to this year? Expand your vocabulary even further with our guide on How to Say Goodbye in German.
While winter is synonymous with Christmas for a lot of people, it’s certainly not the only occasion to celebrate near the end of the year. Here are some phrases that you can use in a wider set of scenarios beyond the usual “Merry Xmas” in German.
Translation: A happy holiday!
Pronunciation:
When to Use It: This is a short and sweet greeting for almost any festive occasion. It’s perfect for friends, colleagues, or neighbors when you’re keeping things general and not referencing Christmas specifically.
Translation: Beautiful Holidays.
Pronunciation:
When to Use It: A simple and classy greeting. Ideal for emails, or any situation where you want to wish happy holidays in a warm and polite way.
Translation: Happy Holidays!
Pronunciation:
When to Use It: A holiday greeting that can work well in any context when you want to keep it general. It’s great for cards, emails, or when wishing groups of people a joyful holiday season.
Looking for even more greetings that you can use beyond the holiday season? Check out our blog post on everyday German greetings - it’s your short and handy guide for saying hello and more in style.
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If you enjoy the holiday spirit, December is an excellent time to visit Germany and Austria as they spare no effort when it comes to celebrating the season. Picture snow-dusted rooftops, cozy town streets decorated with warm Christmas lights, and bustling squares filled with wooden stalls and delicious smells. Let’s have a look at some traditions that capture the heart of the festive season!
Christmas markets typically open late November or early December, setting up the festive mood for the rest of the year. Some of the most famous markets include Nuremberg, Dresden, Vienna, and Graz. With a wide selection of treats offered at the stalls, it’s the best place to browse and buy presents ranging from quality handcrafted goods to clothes and unique holiday ornaments. And let’s not forget the food! Here are some of our favorite treats found at Christmas markets in Germany:
Christmas is all about connecting with loved ones. Stores often close the day before or the day of Christmas Eve so that families can spend this special time together at home. In Germany and Austria, Christmas traditions are quite similar due to the shared past. Let’s have a look at how people often celebrate during the holidays.
The weeks leading up to Christmas are filled with anticipation and celebration as the festive spirit begins to take hold. Both in Austria and in Germany, holiday traditions date back many years. One of the most cherished ones is Advent, the four-week period before Christmas. The word is derived from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival”. It began as a time of fasting, reflection, and prayer in preparation for the Nativity of Christ, but over time the focus shifted more to Christmas preparations.
One of the central items around the celebration is the Advent wreath (Adventskranz). These beautifully decorated wreaths often feature pine branches and various other Christmas decorations. But the most important features are the four candles, one for each Sunday of Advent. Lighting the candles together is a peaceful family tradition that builds excitement as Christmas approaches.
Another sweet tradition connected to this period is the Advent Calendar. It’s a box with 24 small doors that each hide a treat. You open one door each day in December until Christmas Eve, assuming you have the self control not to open them all at once! These calendars typically contain pieces of chocolate or candy but, if you don’t have a sweet tooth, you can find advent calendars that hide other goodies like cosmetics, stationery, almost anything you can think of!
The holiday season wouldn’t be complete without its special culinary delights, and people in Germany and Austria proudly embrace the festive tradition of sharing grand meals. We’ve already touched on a few beloved German delicacies, but let’s dive deeper into what a German Christmas dinner table could look like.
Christmas Eve (der Heligabend) is the main day of celebration for families. Traditionally, they gather for a festive dinner on Christmas Eve right before opening the presents. The following days are also celebrated with elaborate feasts on Christmas Day and the second day of Christmas. Christmas Eve used to be considered part of the fast, so fish and more modest meals were served, but nowadays most families have sausage (Wurst) and potato salad (Kartoffelsalat) for their dinner. Some other common dishes and desserts include:
Gebratene Gans: Roasted goose, often served with red cabbage and dumplings.
Stollen: A dense, dried fruit-filled bread with a core of marzipan, dusted with powdered sugar.
Vanillekipferl: Buttery crescent-shaped cookies flavored with vanilla and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
What families eat varies in different regions. As the Germans put it: Andere Länder, andere Sitten (different lands, different customs). But whether it’s a simple or lavish spread, what matters most is spending quality time with loved ones. Meals offer a nice setting for bonding, storytelling, and creating new holiday memories together.
Depending on the region and family traditions, children eagerly await the arrival of different figures before Christmas Eve. In line with Northern Germany holiday traditions, many children expect a visit from der Weihnachtsmann (Santa, or the "Christmas Man" translated literally). Meanwhile in Austria and Southern Germany, das Christkind (the "Christ-Child", an angel-like Christmas figure modeled after the infant Jesus) is the bringer of gifts on Christmas Eve. Their arrival is shrouded in mystery and magic, as they are said to sneak into homes to deliver presents when nobody is watching.
Santa Claus also has a separate day on the 6th knwn as der Nikolaustag. On the eve of December 5, German children prepare their boots. If they’ve been good, their shoes will be filled with chocolates and sweets the next morning. But if they’ve been naughty, they only receive a piece of birch rod (die Rute) from Santa’s horned companion, the Krampus. This tradition keeps children on their toes and has them behaving extra nicely in the lead-up to Christmas.
The Christmas tree (der Weihnachtsbaum or der Tannenbaum) has been a cherished symbol of the holiday season since pagan times. Like in many places around the world, this is where the gift exchange takes place, and it remains the most iconic symbol of the holiday.
In some German households with young children, the Christmas tree is kept hidden behind closed doors until it’s revealed on Christmas Eve. This adds to the mystery and celebration, as it’s considered to be one of the presents that the Weihnachtsmann or Christkind brings.
We hope this blog post put you in the holiday mood and taught you some useful vocabulary surrounding Christmas in German. However you choose to celebrate this festive season, we encourage you to try these phrases to connect with others and spread the holiday joy. If you’re already buying tickets to travel and experience the holiday magic in Germany, have a look at our blog post on essential German travel phrases that may come in handy!
But don’t just stop there! Why not make learning more German a New Year’s resolution? Download Drops and try our Multiplayer Mode to learn the language with friends and fellow language enthusiasts.
Here’s to a festive and joyful season - Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr! 🎄
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