Tag Archives: Christmas
The German Lebkuchenhaus (Gingerbread House) Posted by Constanze on Dec 22, 2021
Guten Tag und Frohe Weihnachten (Merry Christmas)! Over the years we’ve made several posts on German Christmas traditions, of which there are many. Today we’re adding one more into the mix and talking about the Lebkuchenhaus – gingerbread house! Made from gingerbread and lavishly decorated with coloured icing and a variety of other Süßigkeiten (sweets)…
The World’s Largest Advent Candle Is In Germany Posted by Sten on Dec 2, 2021
Advent, advent, die Kerze brennt! (Advent, advent, the candle is burning!) The four Sundays before Christmas are the four days of Advent, anticipating the birth of Christ. To mark these days, each of them gets a candle – the four Adventskerzen (f, advent candles). They can be attached to Adventskränze (m, advent wreaths) and can be found in…
Weihnachtsgurke: A German Christmas Tradition, Or Not? Posted by Constanze on Nov 30, 2021
Guten Tag! Can I say the W word yet? What’s the W word? Weihnachten (Christmas), of course! I love writing blog posts even more at this time of year, because so many aspects of Christmas have a connection with Germany and/or Austria, and reading about them really gets me in the mood for Christmas time!…
German Week On The Great British Bake Off! Posted by Constanze on Nov 10, 2021
You might be familiar with the TV show The Great British Bake Off (The Great British Baking Show in the US, I believe!), where a group of people compete to be crowned the nation’s best amateur baker (Baker: der Bäcker/die Bäckerin). Each week they have three baking challenges, with one person being crowned Star Baker…
Chalking The Doors: A German New Year’s Tradition Posted by Constanze on Dec 30, 2020
Guten Tag und FROHES NEUES JAHR (HAPPY NEW YEAR)! Today’s post is all about a German New Year’s tradition that takes place on January 6th. January 6th in Germany is known as das Dreikönigsfest (‘the three kings festival’), otherwise known as Epiphany, and is celebrated primarily in southern Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland. There…
4 Questions On German Räuchermännchen Posted by Sten on Dec 24, 2020
It’s the most wonderful time of the year again. German Christmas! The Kamin (fireplace) is crackling joyfully and the warm and sweet Glühwein (mulled wine) relaxes the soul and the Räuchermännchen disperse their wonderful Christmas scent. Perhaps I lost you on that last one. What are Räuchermännchen? Little smoke men? Actually, kind of! 1. What is a…
German Christmas Decor: Der Schwibbogen Posted by Constanze on Dec 23, 2020
Guten Tag and Frohe Weihnachten (Merry Christmas)! Today we’re continuing with our festive theme and some of Germany’s December/Christmas traditions. Today’s post is all about the Schwibbogen. Der Schwibbogen A Schwibbogen is a decorative German candle arch, often seen in the windows of German homes around Christmas time. History & meaning of the Schwibbogen The…