When it comes to the Christmas holiday, Germany is full of many wonderful traditions. They range from delectable sweets to festive and charming decorations and, of course, timeless German Christmas music. I have pulled together some of the best German Christmas decorations and some of my favorite German holiday sweets to help you to create a festive atmosphere in your own home. While the intent is to bring joy to your home, many of these items make great gifts, too! Hopefully, this guide will help you spread some German Christmas cheer.
If you’re looking strictly for gifts, be sure to check out my German gift guide as well as my gift ideas for German language learners.
German Christmas Decorations
Classic wooden German Christmas decorations are timeless, whether you want to go big or just add a quiet touch of the holidays to your home.
Nutcracker – Perhaps the most fun part of nutcrackers is that they come in all shapes and sizes. This classic Made In Germany nutcracker with his soldier uniform.
Handcrafted Beechwood Treetopper – There is such beauty in the craftsmanship of German Christmas decorations and this timeless star to sit atop your tree is special.
Candles & Pyramids Decoration – The simplicity of a German pyramid decoration is beautiful, not to mention how lovely it looks.
Incense Smoker – See Santa “ho-ho-ho” as smoke rings floating with this incense smoker.
German Christmas Ornaments
Christmas tree ornaments are a really personal way to celebrate. Seeing an ornament can trigger any range of memories and emotions. An ornament can celebrate an experience. It can be a promise of something to come. It can be fun or silly or serious.
Asparagus ornament – Nothing says “spring” in Germany like the delicacy of Spargel.
Christmas pickle ornament – While the supposed German origins of the Christmas pickle are dubious at best, there is still something fun and cheeky about hanging one on your tree.
Pretzel ornament – A Biergarten favorite, the pretzel is a timeless and delicious decoration for any Christmas tree.
Jetsetter Suitcase ornament – Whether you globetrot or just admire from afar, capture your love for travel with the jetsetter suitcase glass ornament.
Woodland Cone ornament – While the Black Forest is perhaps Germany’s most famous, the country is covered in beautiful forests for exploring.
Ski Gondola ornament – Adventurous and outdoorsy types will love to have this mini gondola climbing their holiday tree.
Cuckoo Clock ornament – While this isn’t an actual timepiece, a cuckoo clock is still a timeless piece.
Beer Stein ornament – Say Prost! with this classic ornamental beer stein, decorated with holiday touches.
Dachshund ornament – With those small legs, long bodies, and big personalities, dachshunds are a favorite in Germany and around the world.
Lederhosen and Dirndl ornaments – Celebrate traditional Bavarian Trachten with these fun ornaments.
Gingerbread Heart ornament – Nothing says “I love you” like a Lebkuchen, or German gingerbread, heart at a festival. And this one will especially impress fans of Hofbräu beer. But this ornament won’t go stale!
Hofbräu Beer ornament – Raise a teeny tiny Maß of beer with this German Christmas ornament this holiday season!
Glühwein ornament – Celebrate the holiday and winter seasons with a tribute to spiced wine.
Stollen ornament – Covered in powdered sugar, Stollen is a German holiday staple and a fun addition to any Christmas tree.
German Advent Calendars
Celebrate the entire holiday season with an advent calendar. Advent calendars are extremely popular in Germany. You can enjoy them at home, too, with either a simple calendar or a fancy one with special gifts behind each door.
Stollen Advent Calendar – Why only have one stollen when you can have one every day? Luckily, this German advent calendar is portion controlled with small personal-sized stollen.
Reber Constanze Advent Calendar – Reber are famous for their Mozart Kugeln candies. This advent calendar counts down the days with a special bonbon every day.
German Chocolate Advent Calendar – A sweet treat awaits the recipient each day of December as the Christmas holiday approaches.
Niederegger Marzipan Calendar – Behind each door of this advent calendar is one of Niederegger’s famous marzipan candies.
German Christmas Food & Candy
The holidays are a magical time, but can we just talk about the food? No matter your tastes, there is something for everyone when it comes to German Christmas food! And don’t forget to save room for the German chocolate.
Wicklein Original Nürnberger Gingerbread – Forget that stiff gingerbread you build houses from, the Nuremberg gingerbread is a must-have for the holidays.
Pfeffernüsse – These bite-sized frosted gingerbread cookies will surely disappear quickly!
Zimtsterne – Fans of cinnamon will love these star-shaped cookies.
Spekulatius – These spiced cookies are popular throughout Europe and feature pretty designs.
Dresden Stollen, Marzipan Stollen – Fans of fruit cake will love German Stollen. And there are a variety of ways and styles for this holiday classic.
Dominos – These chocolate-covered domino-like bite-sized layers of gingerbread, marzipan, and fruit filling are delicious and a favorite of mine!
Wicklein Nurnberger Lebkuchen Cookies & Gingerbread, Three Pack Assortment Original, Chocolate Coated, & Glazed – Can’t decide which Lebkuchen holiday specialty you want to try? With this variety pack, you don’t have to pick.
Amaretto Liqueur Pound Cake – Entertain your friends and family this holiday season with a classic pound cake infused with amaretto.
Solid Chocolate Santas – No chocolate lover will be disappointed with a solid chocolate Santa Claus.
Niederegger Marzipan – Classic German marzipan is a treat anytime of the year, especially during the holidays.
Teekanne Magic Winter (Variety), Teekanne Hüttenzauber, Teekanne Winterzeit, Glühwein Mixed Spices Mulled Teabags – Nothing warms up the winter like a hot beverage. And from Glühwein to fruit teas, there are plenty of options.
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