German traditions include Carnival celebrations before Lent where people wear costumes and participate in parades, hunting for decorated eggs on Easter morning, dancing around a maypole on May 1st, celebrating Thanksgiving and Germany's reunification on national holidays, and children receiving sweets on St. Martin's Day and from the Three Wise Men on January 6th.
2. Carnival in Germany
Carnival is called the 5th season in Germany.
It is the period before Ash Wednesday – the beginning
of the Lent.
People disguise themselves. They take part in
parades. The most famous ones are in Mainz, Cologne
and Düsseldorf.
7. May, 1st
May, 1st is a bank holiday.
People meet in the evening
of April, 30th to decorate a
tree with coloured ribbons.
They dance around the
maypole.
This party is called „dance
into May“.
10. Germany`s National Holiday
October, 3rd
German people celebrate
the reunification between
the eastern and western
part of Germany.
11. Saint Martin
Children celebrate this festival in November
in honour of bishop Martin, who helped the
poor.
They make a parade with lanterns while
singing songs to praise Saint Martin.
They get sweets for their singing.
12. Nikolaus
December, 6th
In memory of bishop Saint
Nikolaus german children get
sweets.
In the evening of December, 5th
they put a boot in front of the
door hoping Nikolaus will fill it.
Sometimes children are visited by
a person dressed like Nikolaus.
13. Christmas
In Germany
there are two
public holidays
at christmas.
14. The crib
On Christmas eve
people go to church
to celebrate the
birth of Jesus.
There is a crib in
every church.
15. Christmas eve, (Heiligabend)
December, 24th
On christmas eve
we exchange
presents.
The family meets
to eat, drink
and celebrate.
16. New Year`s Eve
Most people in
Germany have a
party on the last
day of the year.
At midnight they
burn fireworks.
17. New Year
January, 1st is a bank
holiday.
In some northern parts of
Germany women
prepare „Neujahrskuchen“
a special kind of biscuits.
18. January, 6th Three Wise Men
People remember
the three Wise
Men
who worshipped
the new born king.
19. The three Wise Men
Children dressed in
king`s clothes go from
house to house to bless
them.
They raise money to
give it to a charity
organisation.
