German holidays and festivals: Weihnachten, Karneval, Silvester and the greetings for each
Das Jahr · tap a festival
Jan
Feb
Mär
Apr
Mai
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Okt
Nov
Dez
24–26 DecemberWeihnachtenVAI-nakh-ten · ChristmasThe main celebration is Christmas Eve, with presents after dinner. The 25th and 26th are both holidays.
What people say
FrohemerryWeihnachten!Christmas
FROH-e VAI-nakh-ten · “Merry Christmas!”Also: Fröhliche Weihnachten. Weihnachten is plural.
Short answer: the big German festivals are Weihnachten (Christmas), celebrated mainly on the evening of 24 December; Silvester (New Year’s Eve), wished with Guten Rutsch!; Ostern (Easter); and Karneval or Fasching in February in the Rhineland and the south. The national day is 3 October, Tag der Deutschen Einheit. Public holidays (Feiertage) vary by federal state, and on them shops are closed.
Advent and Christmas
Vier Kerzen, ein Kalender, ein Markt
Christmas in Germany starts four Sundays early. Each Sunday of Advent, one more candle on the Adventskranz (wreath) is lit. Presents are opened on the evening of the 24th, at the Bescherung, not on the morning of the 25th.
1 DecemberAT-vents-ka-len-der24 little doors, one a day.
4 Sundays beforeAT-vents-krantsA wreath with four candles.
from late NovemberVAI-nakhts-marktStalls, lights and Glühwein (mulled wine).
6 DecemberNI-ko-laus-taakChildren leave a boot out overnight to be filled with sweets.
24 December, eveningbe-SHAY-rungPresents under the tree, brought by the Christkind or the Weihnachtsmann.
25–26 DecemberVAI-nakhts-fai-er-taa-geFamily visits and roast goose.
Karneval, Fasching, Fastnacht
Helau or Alaaf?
The “fifth season” starts on 11 November at 11:11 and peaks in the week before Lent. It has three names and two battle cries, and using the wrong one in the wrong city is a classic joke.
Silvester and New Year
Guten Rutsch! and Dinner for One
New Year’s Eve is named after Pope Sylvester, whose feast day is 31 December. It has some customs that surprise visitors.
GutengoodRutschslideins neue Jahr!into-the new year
GOO-ten RUTSH ins NOI-e YAAR · “Have a good slide into the new year!”
Said in the days before 31 December. After midnight, switch to Frohes neues Jahr!
PrositcheersNeujahr!New-Year
PROH-zit noi-YAAR · “Happy New Year! (toast)”
Shouted at midnight with a glass of Sekt (sparkling wine).
Same proceduresame procedureas every year.as every year
— · “The same procedure as every year.”
A 1963 British sketch, Dinner for One, is shown on German TV every 31 December. Millions know this English line by heart.
dastheFeuerwerkfire-work
das FOI-er-verk · “fireworks”
Private fireworks are legal only around New Year, so streets fill with rockets at midnight.
dastheWachsgießenwax-pouring
das VAKS-gee-sen · “wax pouring”
People melt a little wax and drop it into cold water; the shape predicts the year. It replaced lead pouring (Bleigießen).
Greetings for every occasion
Frohe Weihnachten, Alles Gute, Gute Besserung
One golden rule for birthdays: never wish someone a happy birthday before the day. Germans consider it bad luck, so wait until midnight.
Occasion
Say
Meaning
Birthday
Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!A-les GOO-te tsum ge-BURTS-taak
All the best for your birthday!
Birthday (casual)
Herzlichen Glückwunsch!HERTS-li-khen GLÜK-vunsh
Congratulations!
Christmas
Frohe Weihnachten!FROH-e VAI-nakh-ten
Merry Christmas!
Easter
Frohe Ostern!FROH-e OH-stern
Happy Easter!
Before New Year
Guten Rutsch!GOO-ten RUTSH
Happy New Year!
Wedding
Alles Gute für die Zukunft!A-les GOO-te für dee TSOO-kunft
All the best for the future!
Illness
Gute Besserung!GOO-te BE-se-rung
Get well soon!
Exam
Viel Erfolg!feel er-FOLK
Good luck!
Birthdays
Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
Two German birthday rules: never congratulate someone early (it is bad luck), and the person whose birthday it is usually brings the cake to work.
Wishing
Alles Guteall goodzum Geburtstag!to-the birthday
A-les GOO-te tsum ge-BOORTS-taak · “Happy birthday!”The standard wish.
Belated
Nachträglichbelatedlyalles Gute!all good
NAAKH-traik-likh A-les GOO-te · “Happy belated birthday!”nachträglich = after the event: late wishes are fine, early ones are not.
Age
Wie althow oldwirstbecomedu?you
vee ALT VIRST doo · “How old are you turning?”werden, not sein, for a birthday.