Celebrate German Style – Ultimate List of German Holidays and Festivals

Celebrate German-Style Ultimate List of German Holidays and Festivals

It is very common to hear in everyday life that Germans are quite reserved. However, in reality, it’s not what it seems.

If you are currently too fascinated with German and its culture and have enrolled yourself in one of the best German language classes, then you must know about the most popular events of Germany.

So, without any further delay, let’s have a look at the topmost holidays and festivals of Germany.

  1. Nicholas Day

Held on the night of 5th and 6th December, St. Nicholas Day celebrates the beginning of Christmas season. On the eve of 5th December, children clean their shoes and leave it outside the front gate so that St. Nicholas could fill the shoes with chocolates, nuts, and oranges. In contrast, the naughty children are expected to find a stick in their shoes.

  1. Christmas

Although Christmas is popular all over the world, however, it is regarded as the biggest festival in Germany. Even the concept of the Christmas tree was started in Germany. On this day, people are expected to decorate the Christmas tree and house, visit Church, and spend quality time with family and friends while eating delicious traditional meals.

  1. New Year’s Eve

Another world-recognized festival ‘New Year’s Eve’ is celebrated in Germany but in a different manner. For instance, when it is midnight, apart from the fireworks, people give four-leaf clovers to each other as a symbol of good luck for the next year.

  1. Oktoberfest

One of the most popular festivals of Germany, Oktoberfest begins at the end of September and ends in early October. At the festival, myriads of rides, games, and parades take place. People from around the world come to Munich to witness the craze of Oktoberfest where they can enjoy the real German beer and traditional German food.

  1. Day of German Unity

Taking place on the 3rd of October, the Day of German Unity refers to the anniversary of Germany’s unification, and the day is also Germany’s only national holiday. This day is celebrated with festivals comprising of food and entertainment for all ages. However, Germans do not celebrate their national holiday with over-the-top celebrations at all.

  1. Carnival

Karneval or Faschingis basically a pre-Lenten festival that begins from 11th November and ends on the Ash Wednesday. The carnival is initiated with ‘women carnival’ wherein women cut off ties with men. The next in line is the Rose Monday in which dancers, bands and floats parade on the street while simultaneously throwing treats on the crowd. With the Shrove Thursday in which costume bells are held all over Germany, the celebrations come to an end.

  1. May Day

This is the day which takes place on the 1st of May to celebrate the advent of spring. People celebrate this holiday with too much dance and music. On this day, it is customary for the towns to set up a tall wooden pole called Maypole in the town’s public square which is decorated with colourful flowers and ribbons.

Conclusion

The above mentioned are just a few out of many important German festivals and holidays. Now, remember these and continue with your German learning with the topmost German language institute.

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