Germans say "Merry Christmas" with "Frohe Weihnachten!" or "Fröhliche Weihnachten!," both meaning a joyful Christmas, with "Frohe Weihnachten" being the most common and versatile greeting, while "Fröhliche Weihnachten" is also popular and featured in carols. Other options include "Frohes Weihnachtsfest!" (Joyous Christmas celebration) or the more general "Frohes Fest!" (Happy Holidays/Celebration).
Frohe Weihnachten und ein gutes neues Jahr. If you don't expect to see someone between Christmas and New Year, you best wish them Frohe Weihnachten und ein gutes neues Jahr, which means Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in German. It's also the standard sentence for Christmas cards.
Literally, this means “Joyful Christmas!” or “Happy Christmas!” It's the standard greeting you'll hear everywhere in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland—from Christmas markets to office emails and postcards.
How to say "Merry Christmas" in German | Practical German Lesson
What is a popular Christmas greeting in Germany?
We'll start with the basics. Here are some of the most common Christmas greetings used in Germany, so you can spread Christmas cheer far and wide: Fröhliche Weihnachten / Frohe Weihnachten - Merry Christmas. Besinnliche Feiertage / Erholsame Feiertage - Have a peaceful holiday season.
The name Belsnickel is a compilation of the German word “bels,” which translates into fur, and “nickel,” which refers to St. Nicholas. Unlike his predecessors, the Belsnickel doesn't make the rounds with Santa. Instead, he visits the homes of children throughout the community on his own.
To politely say "Merry Christmas," you can use classic phrases like "Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year," inclusive options like "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings," or heartfelt additions such as "Warmest wishes" or "May your holidays be filled with joy" for a more personal touch, depending on the formality and your relationship.
Happy Holidays, or as we say in Danish 'Glædelig Jul'. 🎄 Not sure how to pronounce the saying? Watch the short tutorial by our Embassy colleagues below.
The word itself is derived from the German words 'weihen,' meaning 'to consecrate or make holy,' and 'Nacht,' which means 'night. ' Thus, Weihnachten literally translates to 'Holy Night. ' This nomenclature reflects how many cultures view Christmas as not just a day but an event steeped in spirituality.
If someone says frohe Ostern to you, you can either respond with the same phrase, frohe Ostern, or you can say frohe Ostern auch dir, literally 'happy Easter also to you'. If you're speaking to someone formally you can make this a formal phrase by changing dir to Ihnen: frohe Ostern auch Ihnen.
In German, Bitte sehr and Bitte schön are phrases that denote a more formal and polite way of saying “you're very welcome.” They are often considered the logical counterparts of danke schön and danke sehr. While both phrases can be used to accept gratitude, they can both also be used as “here you go.”
Waldeinsamkeit is a German word that describes the unique feeling of being alone in the woods, combining "Wald" (forest) and "Einsamkeit" (loneliness or solitude), but it refers to a pleasant, meditative, and profound sense of oneness with nature, not a negative feeling, often associated with Romanticism and spiritual connection. It signifies a blissful solitude, a deep peace, and a feeling of being part of the forest, often highlighting nature's restorative power.
Instead, Germans simply talk about der zweite Weihnachtstag or der 26. Dezember, and they mean something much quieter and more reflective than the British Boxing Day.
German Good Luck Symbols or German Christmas Symbols: As Found in German Pyramids, German Smokers, German Cuckoo Clocks and German Nutcrackers. Germany is known for providing the candle pyramid, nutcrackers, and smokers to Christmas celebrations, but there are many other Christmas symbols, which stem from this country.
What is traditionally eaten on Christmas Day in Germany?
The traditional Christmas meal features duck, goose, rabbit or a roast. This main dish is accompanied by German delicacies such as apple and sausage stuffing, red cabbage and potato dumplings. Dessert typically includes Christmas Stollen, considered one of the best Christmas pastries in the world!
On 25th December (Christmas Day) and 26 December, usually the family gets together for celebrations and also the religious Christians will visit Christmas mass during these days. The German festive season starts at the end of November or early December with the Advent celebrations.
