1. Advent wreath - Adventskranz

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Many families in Germany will put an Advent wreath on their coffee table on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, the first day of Advent. The wreath, usually made from evergreen or pine, features four large candles and is decorated with berries, dried fruits and pinecones. A candle is lit during each week on Sunday until all four candles are lit by Christmas Eve.

With roots going as far back as the 16th century, the modern-day Advent wreath tradition has been linked to Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Protestant pastor who lived in Hamburg in the 19th century. After the children at Wichern's mission school began asking every day if Christmas had arrived, he built a big wooden ring and placed 20 small red candles and four large white candles around it. A small red candle was lit every weekday and a white one every Sunday, until it was Christmas. The custom gained popularity among Protestant churches in Germany, and the rest is history.

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https://www.iamexpat.de/lifestyle/lifest...ise-were-german

2. Christmas markets - Weihnachtsmärkte

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Traditional wooden huts decked out in lights and the scent of Glühwein and grilled sausages in the air can only mean one thing - Christmas markets! Although the magical glow of Weihnachstmärkte may have spread across numerous countries and continents, most people know that the origins of this winter market can be traced back to Germany in the Middle Ages.

Towns and cities across Europe traditionally held open-air winter markets before the cold hit, so people could stock up on dried meat, flour and other essential goods which would last through the winter. In Germany, these markets slowly began to offer more seasonal goods, such as baked cakes, cookies and wooden toys, and thus the Christmas market was born. Dresden claims to host the oldest Christmas market in Germany, which first took place in 1434.

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https://www.iamexpat.de/lifestyle/lifest...ise-were-german