00:07Yeah, in Germany we give out the Christmas gifts on the 24th of December.
00:11And this was just one of the things that shocked me about my first Christmas in Germany, but more on that later.
00:16First of all, you should know, Germans love Christmas, and this time of year, it's a pretty big deal.
00:25Halloween has really only been somewhat popular here since the 90s.
00:28Thanksgiving obviously isn't a thing here, and Carnival celebrations around this time happen only in some parts of Germany.
00:35So when the air even starts to get cold, the Germans go chestnuts roasting on an open fire for the idea of Christmas coming up.
00:42And it makes sense. Germany has historically been majority Christian.
00:46And while the number of Germans who belong to a Christian church is dwindling, around 81% of people in Germany still say they celebrate Christmas.
00:53And in all honesty, it makes sense to fiercely celebrate anything that brightens up the dark winter nights here.
00:59By December in Germany, the sun rises around 8am and sets at around 4pm, which means 16 hours of darkness.
01:06So what do you do in Germany when you get out of work and it's already dark?
01:10Obviously you go to the Christmas market.
01:14Growing up in Ohio, Christmas parties and activities were usually indoors.
01:21With the exception of the Santa Claus that came down my street each year in a pickup truck.
01:30No, I'm not kidding.
01:34Maybe we'd go caroling or driving around to look at elaborate lights displays, but I'd never heard of a Christmas market until I moved to Germany.
01:44So you can imagine my surprise and interest when a German friend invited me here to my first one and insisted I had to try this one specific drink.
01:56You have to try the Gubine. It's hot wine brewed with spices.
02:00Hot wine? Uh, okay. Cool.
02:02Cheers.
02:06But wait, I forgot to put the shot in.
02:08The shot?
02:09Yeah, we usually put amaretto or ramen. That will really keep you warm.
02:17That's when I learned how Germans can stay out in the cold for so long.
02:20And that admitting to not liking Gluwein is basically like admitting to not liking dogs or ice cream.
02:25You will be questioned.
02:27Not that I don't like it.
02:32There are thousands of Christmas markets across Germany, usually starting up in late November or early December and running through Christmas.
02:38And they're pretty much all super charming.
02:41This market, held in front of an actual palace that was once home to Frederick the Great and Napoleon, is actually kind of new.
02:47But some have been around since the Middle Ages. Just casual European things.
02:52And if you come to a Christmas market, you have to try the food.
02:56My favorites are the candied almonds. They smell amazing and taste just as good.
03:00And the Käsespätzle, which for me is kind of like a German mac and cheese.
03:15And of course, it's always fun to shop for some handcrafted and traditional German Christmas gifts.
03:20But, and this is important, if you're invited to a German family Christmas party, make sure you have your gifts a little earlier than you might expect.
03:35I learned the hard way when I didn't have my gifts wrapped in time that Germans traditionally give them out on December 24th, Christmas Eve or Holy Evening.
03:43And there are two more days of Christmas after that, but these mostly involve home-cooked dinners and family time.
03:54But just when I thought I understood everything there was to know about Christmas in Germany, I learned it's not always Santa who brings the Christmas gifts here.
04:01In some regions of Germany, it's the Christkind, literally Christ child.
04:06What I thought was a literal baby Jesus delivering gifts is actually an angel-like figure, allegedly invented by Martin Luther,
04:13but later adopted by the Catholics, who sneaks into the home on the 24th to deliver presents while the children are away.
04:22The sound of a bell signals the Christkind is gone and the children can come back into the living room and look at their gifts.
04:27And get this, arrive too early to a German Christmas gathering and there might not even be a Christmas tree set up at all.
04:34Traditionally, Germans don't decorate or set up a tree until the 24th, although this is changing nowadays.
04:40Quite a difference from Americans who sometimes decorate their Christmas tree as early as November,
04:46but considering Germans are the claimed inventors of the modern Christmas tree, I guess I can't question them.
04:50But in all seriousness, I like that Germans get to spend a few days with their family and I've learned to love Christmas in my new home.
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