German Christmas Vocabulary

A

Advent r Advent
Advent calendar(s) r Adventskalender (-)
Advent season e Adventszeit
Advent wreath r Adventskranz

Advent (Latin for "arrival, coming") is the four-week period leading up to Christmas. In German-speaking countries and most of Europe the first Advent weekend is the traditional beginning of the Christmas season when open-air Christmas markets ( Christkindlmärkte) appear in many cities, the most famous ones being those in Nuremberg and Vienna. Most stores and shops in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are open weekends and evenings during Advent. - In Austria the 's' is often dropped in Advent-words (as in Adventzeit or Adventkalender). - See our special Advent Calendar with daily Christmas facts!

angel(s)

r Engel (-)

B

baked goods, pastry s Gebäck
See our German Christmas Recipes

Barbara Branch Barbarazweig - A pre-Christmas custom celebrated in Catholic regions on Dec. 4th, the traditional feast day of St. Barbara (Barbaratag). See our feature: Barbara: The Name, the Legend.

Basel chocolate balls Basler Brunsli - A sweet confection made with chocolate, almonds, and hazelnut; a Christmas treat.

Baumkuchen r Baumkuchen - "Tree cake" is a layered cake whose interior resembles (Christmas) tree rings when cut.

bell e Glocke, s Glöckchen (little bell)

Bible e Bibel
Also see: Die Bibel - Weihnachten

bow (ribbon) (n.) e Schleife

C

candle(s) e Kerze (-n)

Candles, with their light and warmth, have long been used in winter celebrations as symbols of the sun in the dark of winter. The Christians later adopted candles as their own symbol of the "Light of the World." Candles also play an important role in the eight-day Jewish "Festival of Lights" Hanukkah celebration.

candy, sweets s/r Bonbon (-s), Süssigkeiten (pl.)

carol(s), Christmas carol(s) s Weihnachtslied (-er)

carp (n.) r Karpfen (-)

Carp is considered a Christmas or New Year's delicacy in many parts of Germany.

chimney r Schornstein

choir r Chor

crèche, manger e Krippe

Christ Child s Christkind, s Christkindl

The word "Kris Kringle" is a corruption of Christkindl. The word came into American English via the Pennsylvania Germans, whose neighbors misunderstood the German word for the bringer of gifts. With the passage of time, Santa Claus (from Dutch "Sinterclaas") and Kris Kringle became synonymous. The Austrian town of Christkindl bei Steyr is a popular Christmas post office, an Austrian "North Pole."

Christmas E-Cards in German

Christmas s Weihnachten (sing., pl.), s Weihnachtsfest
Es weihnachtet. It's Christmas./Christmas is coming.
Frohe Weihnachten! Merry/Happy Christmas!
Also see: Die Bibel - Weihnachten (The Bible - Christmas)

Christmas bread/cake, fruit cake (n.) r Stollen, r Christstollen, r Striezel (dial.)

Christmas card(s) e Weihnachtskarte (-n)

Send digital Greetings of the Season to anyone with an email address... free!

Christmas Eve r Heiligabend

Christmas market(s) r Weihnachtsmarkt (-märkte), r Christkindlesmarkt

Christmas pyramid e Weihnachtspyramide (-n)

Originally from the Erzgebirge region of Germany, the wood or rope pyramid was the "poor man's Christmas tree." Today it is a popular Christmas decoration in many parts of Germany, usually made with candles and bells that ring as the heat from the candles turns a wooden rotor at the top.

Christmas tree r Christbaum, r Tannenbaum, r Weihnachtsbaum

The first Christmas tree to decorate the inside of the White House was put up by US President Franklin Pierce in 1856. (German immigrants brought the custom to America.) In England Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert (1819-1861) of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, helped popularize the Christmas tree and other German Christmas customs.

cinnamon star(s) r Zimtstern (-e) - Star-shaped, cinnamon-flavored Christmastime cookies

cookies (pl.) Kekse, Kipferln, Plätzchen
See our German Christmas Recipes

cradle, crèche e Krippe, s Kripplein, e Wiege

crescent(s) s Kipferl (-n) - Also see: cookies, vanilla crescent(s) Vanillekipferl(n)

German Christmas Word Search

D

decorate (v.) schmücken, verzieren, dekorieren
decoration(s) (Christmas) r Weihnachtsschmuck

Dresden Christmas [fruit] bread/loaf Dresdner Weihnachtsstollen
See our Recipe for Dresdner Stollen

E

eggnog r Eierlikör (similar but not the same as eggnog)

Epiphany s Dreikönigsfest (Jan. 6)

F

Father Christmas, Santa Claus r Weihnachtsmann

In the 16th century Protestants, led by Martin Luther, introduced "Father Christmas" to replace Saint Nicholas and to avoid the Catholic saints. In the Protestant parts of Germany and Switzerland, Saint Nicholas became der Weihnachtsmann ("Christmas Man"). In the U.S. he came to be known as Santa Claus, while in England children look forward to a visit from Father Christmas.

fir/pine branch r Tannenzweig

fir tree r Tannenbaum (-bäume)

Originally, most German Christmas trees were fir trees (Tannenbäume). Over the years, as the percentage of fir trees in German forests dropped, spruce trees (Fichtenbäume) became more prevalent. But today the word Tannenbaum is still synonymous with "Christmas tree."

fireplace r Kamin

frankincense r Weihrauch

fruit bread, Christmas bread r Stollen, s Kletzenbrot (an Alpine rye bread containing dried pears, Kletzen, and various spices)

See our German Christmas Recipes

G

garland (n.) e Girlande (-n)

gift(s), present(s) s Geschenk (-e)

Caution! The German word das Gift means "poison." If you are mailing a present to German Europe, you may wish to mark it with the German word Geschenk, in addition to "gift."

gift giving, exchange of presents e Bescherung

gingerbread r Lebkuchen

glass ball e Glaskugel (-n)

Christmas E-Cards in German

H

Happy New Year! Prosit Neujahr!

holy (adj.) heilig

holly (n.) e Stechpalme

In pagan times, holly was believed to have magical powers that kept evil spirits away. The Christians later made it a symbol of Christ's crown of thorns. According to legend, the holly berries were originally white, but turned red from Christ's blood.

I

ice s Eis

icicle(s) r Eiszapfen (-), (tinsel) s Eis-Lametta

ice skate(s) r Schlittschuh (-e)

ice skate (v.) Eislaufen, Schlittschuhlaufen

ice skating s Eislaufen

J

Jesus Jesus (YEA-zoos), Jesulein (Baby Jesus)

K

king(s) r König (-e)
Three Kings (Wise Men) die Heiligen Drei Könige, die Weisen

Kipferl(n) (n.) s Kipferl (-n) - An Austrian Christmas cookie. See: vanilla crescents Vanillekipferln

Krampus r Krampus - See Ruprecht

L

lighting e Beleuchtung
outdoor lighting e Außenbeleuchtung

lights e Lichter, elektrische Kerzen (electric candles)

M

manger e Krippe

Mary and Joseph Maria und Joseph

marzipan s Marzipan (almond paste candy)

Merry Christmas! Happy Christmas! Fröhliche Weihnachten!, Frohe Weihnachten!
See our German Christmas Greetings for more.

midnight mass e Christmette, Mitternachtsmette

mistletoe e Mistel

mulled, spiced wine r Glühwein ("glow wine")
See our German Christmas Recipes

myrrh e Myrrhe

N

nativity e Krippe, s Krippenbild, die Geburt Christi

Nickel (name) r Nickel - See Ruprecht below.

nut(s) e Nuss (Nüsse)

nutcracker(s) r Nussknacker (-)

O

organ, pipe organ e Orgel

ornaments, ornamentation (tree, etc.) e Verzierung, r Schmuck

P

Peace on Earth! Friede auf Erden!

pickle saure Gurke
See The German Christmas Pickle - tradition or myth?

poinsettia e Poinsettie, r Weihnachtsstern
Named for J.R. Poinsett (1779-1851), US ambassador to Mexico, who popularized the flower. In German it is also called "Christmas star." See graphic below.

pyramid (See "Christmas pyramid")

R

reindeer s Rentier (-e)
See the popular Christmas song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in German and English!

Rejoice! Freut euch! Freue dich!

ring [bells] (v.) erklingen, klingeln

rod, switch (n.) e Rute (see "Ruprecht" below)

Ruprecht (name) r Ruprecht, Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus

A demonic figure who used to accompany St. Nicholas to punish bad children with his Rute; based on mythical winter figures going back to pagan times. Rarely seen today. Also known as: Hans Muff, Krampus, or Nickel. In some parts of Germany, Ruprecht is good — just another Weihnachtsmann, and Krampus is the bad guy. - See The Many German St. Nicks for more.

Christmas E-Cards in German

S

Saint Nicholas r Sankt Nikolaus

Saint Nicholas is not Santa Claus or the American "Saint Nick." Dec. 6, the Feast of St. Nicholas, is the day upon which the original Bishop Nicholas of Myra (today in Turkey) is commemorated — and is the date of his death in the year 343. He was later granted sainthood. The German Sankt Nikolaus, dressed as a bishop, brings gifts on that day. (Also see "Ruprecht" above.)
According to legend, it was also Bishop Nicholas who gave us the Christmas tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace. The kindly bishop is said to have thrown bags of gold for the poor down the chimney. The bags landed in stockings that had been hung by the fire to dry. This Saint Nicholas legend may also partly explain the American custom of Santa coming down the chimney with his bag of gifts. - See The Many German St. Nicks for more.
It was the German-American Thomas Nast who gave the US its traditional image of Santa Claus. (See Christmas - The German Way for more about Nast.

Santa Claus, Father Christmas r Weihnachtsmann

St. Nikolaus Day r Nikolaustag (Dec. 6)

(the) Savior r Heiland, r Retter

sheep s Schaf (-e)

shepherd(s) r Hirt (-en), r Schäfer (-)

"Silent Night" "Stille Nacht"

The world's most popular Christmas carol was created 180 years ago in Austria by Franz Gruber (music) and Joseph Mohr (text), and first performed by them with guitar accompaniment in Oberndorf bei Salzburg on Christmas Eve of 1818. More at "Stille Nacht" from The German Way. - Also see our Silent Night Christmas E-Cards in German.

sing singen

German Christmas Word Search

sled, sleigh, toboggan r Schlitten (-)

snow (n.) r Schnee
snowball (n.) r Schneeball
snowflake (n.) e Schneeflocke
snowman (n.) r Schneemann
snow sled/sleigh (n.) r Schlitten

snow (v.) schneien - It's snowing. = Es schneit.

snowy (adj.) schneeig, schneebedeckt (covered), Schnee- (in noun compounds)

stable, stall r Stall

star(s) r Stern (-e)

Sternsinger ("star singers") - dressed as the Wise Men/Three Kings - make their rounds during Advent to raise money for Catholic missions all over the world.

straw star(s) r Strohstern (Strohsterne) - A traditional Christmas decorations made of straw.

T

(the) Three Wise Men, Three Kings, Magi die Heiligen Drei Könige, die Weisen

tinsel s Lametta, r Flitter

toy(s) s Spielzeug(e)

V

vanilla crescent(s) s Vanillekipferl (-n)

An Austrian/Bavarian pastry. Vanillekipferln or Kipferln are small sweet baked crescents covered with powdered vanilla sugar. Traditionally served around Christmas, Kipferln are also made in nut (Nuss), almond (Mandeln), and other varieties.

See our German Christmas Recipes

W

the Wise Men, the Magi die Weisen, die Heiligen Drei Könige

wreath (n.) r Kranz

Quotations from http://german.about.com/library/blcmasvoc2.htm

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