Tag Archives: german traditions
German-American Day Posted by Constanze on Oct 5, 2016
Guten Tag! I’m bringing you this post today in light of a special day tomorrow, October 6th 2016. Tomorrow is German-American Day in the USA! This is a day to celebrate the German heritage in America. Specifically, it commemorates the date in 1683 when 13 German families settled in Philadelphia and subsequently founded Germantown, Pennsylvania…
German Vocabulary For Autumn Posted by Constanze on Sep 28, 2016
Hallo! As my favourite season is upon is (Herbst – autumn) I decided there would be nothing better than a little post on all things Herbst in German. Herbstwetter (autumn weather) is beautiful. It’s kühl (cool) outside, often windig (windy) but nevertheless nice and sonnig (sunny). At times it can be rather regnerisch…
Mushroom Picking In Germany Posted by Constanze on Oct 18, 2015
One of my fondest childhood memories involves going mushroom picking in the Bavarian Forest. My Oma (grandma) used to lead the way, teaching my brother, sister and I which mushrooms were safe to eat, and which ones to avoid like the plague. Once we’d collected as many mushrooms as we could, we would take them…
The Advent Calender and December 24th in Germany Posted by Constanze on Dec 21, 2014
Servus! Only 4 more days ’til Christmas, so here’s another German Christmas post! Did you know that the Advent calendar chocolate you’re happily chomping away on is a German invention? Yes, along with the Weihnachtsbaum (Christmas tree), the Adventskalender is something else you can thank the Germans for. As the big day draws nearer, today…
German Christmas Song: O Tannenbaum Posted by Constanze on Dec 14, 2014
Recently I wrote a post about Der Weihnachtsbaum and its origins in German history. This post was originally a part of it, but it became so large that I thought it only fitting to give it its own post. So, to continue on the Weihnachtsbaum theme, here’s a popular song you might know as ‘O…
Der Weihnachtsbaum: The Christmas Tree in German History Posted by Constanze on Dec 12, 2014
Every December we put up Christmas trees in our homes because it’s a tradition. But how many people know where this tradition comes from? There are many stories about the origin of the Christmas tree – some of them dating back as far as ancient Rome and ancient Egypt, and some associated with Paganism. But…
What is Halloween like in Germany? Posted by Constanze on Oct 26, 2014
In some ways, Hallowe’en is the same in Germany as it is in the UK or the USA. You can expect nightclubs offering Halloween themed nights for adults, horror movies shown on TV, children dressing up and going trick or treating (although this aspect of Hallowe’en is not as common in Germany as it is…