Know more about German local culture by learning about some of their most iconic holidays.

Known as Germany’s “fifth season,” Karneval, or Fasching, is a blend of winter revelry with a traditional religious background. In many Christian-based faiths, parishioners observe a 40-day period prior to Easter, called Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time of introspection, repentance and fasting. Over time, the impending period of restrictions led to a preparatory celebration beforehand: known as Mardi-Gras in the U.S. and Carnival in Brazil, the German tradition of Karneval is all about excess and having a good time in the dark days of winter. The Karneval season technically begins on Nov. 11, the feast day of Saint Martin. It is broken up by the Christmas season and resumes again on Jan. 6, Epiphany. This is when the party plans truly begin, but the celebrations don’t come into full swing until later.

There are often six days associated with Karneval:

1. Fett Donnerstag: The Thursday before Ash Wednesday serves as an unofficial holiday in many regions of Germany. Parties, music, parades and celebrations often start on Thursday, and won’t end until Tuesday. Thursday is a happy day that’s celebrated under several names, such as Fat (Fett), Greasy (Schmotziger) or Nonsensical (Unsinniger) Thursday. In many villages, women flood the town square to celebrate Old Women’s Fasching, as Weiberfastnacht, where they will cut neckties from men, but reward them with a kiss.

2. Russiger Freitag: On Sooty Friday (Russiger Freitag), prime TV stations broadcast several “Royal” Fasching programs. In January, cities elect a Fasching Prince and Princess, and assemble a “royal” 11-member council called the Elferrat. This royalty takes over prime-time television Friday evening. Programs feature a four-hour show filled with all things Karneval to include dancing, parodies and of course, lots of comedy routines.

3. Nelkensamstagi: Carnation Saturday (Nelkensamstagi) or Greasy Saturday (Schmalziger Samstag) is traditionally a day of smaller parades. Spectators often dress in costume and bring bags to catch any candy that might be thrown during the parade.

4. Tulpensonntag: The “biggest” Karneval parades are held Sunday or Monday, depending on the region. Southern regions celebrating Fasching, use Tulip Sunday (Tulpensonntag) for their largest parades, notably Munich and Würzburg.

5. Rosenmontag: Northern regions celebrating Karneval designate Rose Monday, (Rosenmontag) for their parades, most notably Cologne. Fit in with the locals by donning masks or costumes—and don’t forget a bag for candy and trinkets tossed from the parade floats!

6. Fasnachtsdienstag: The last days of revelry are coming to a close on Shrove Tuesday, (Fasnachtsdienstag). The evening is often marked with gorgeous masquerade balls, where attendees unveil their masks at midnight to symbolically reveal their true identities “hidden” during the costumes of carnival. Bonfires are also common, and straw figurines (often witches) are tossed into the flames to burn away any sins committed during carnival.

For nearly a millennium, Catholics have been celebrating the day on which a town church was consecrated by the bishop or priest. Known as the Kirchweihfest, the consecration involved a church official cleansing the new church of any demons. Historically, this day was followed by a town folk festival, the Kerwe (pronounced carevah) which continues to be celebrated annually.

Traditionally, the Kerwe lasted two days and included a Sunday visit to Church followed by a town procession, a large meal ending with coffee and cake (hence the days of cooking and baking) and dancing in the town square. People put out the “Kirchweih Tree” and decorate festively with owers and paper. There were also many games and competitions played throughout the day including wrestling, running, sack racing, bird shooting, cattle driving and flag dances.

Today, there isn’t much of a religious tone to these events. However, the celebrations are as festive as ever. At a large Kerwe, you will find merry-go-rounds and other traditional fair rides such as Ferris wheels and perhaps a roller coaster or two. Some towns still put up a Kirchweih Tree. There are usually local vendors selling homemade items and crafts.

You will find plenty of beer tents and occasionally wine and cocktail stands. At a Kerwe, you may find sausage, pommes (French fry), pretzel and Lebkuchenherzen vendors. Lebkuchenherzen are large heart-shaped gingerbread cookies that are decorated with icing usually with German words and phrases.

Depending on the size of the town or village, the event may last from one weekend to two weeks. They occur across Germany from spring to autumn and cities with more than one medieval church may even hold one in the spring and another in the fall.

In Germany, the time leading up to Christmas is celebrated as Advent and follows a traditional religious calendar. The season begins four Sundays prior to Christmas day, and many Germans will have a tabletop Advent wreath with four candles, each to be lit on a Sunday in advent.

Prior to Advent, you will notice an abundance of Christmas-themed foods, decorations and Advent calendars in shops across Germany. Decorations will not be lit in cities and homes before Advent offcially starts. Christmas trees will also go on sale in lots at grocery stores, home improvement stores or at farms in the country at the beginning of advent. Traditionally German families wait until Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, to put up the tree they bought (it will be kept outside until that day) to be left up until Jan. 6—Epiphany. But that timeframe has become increasingly flexible and less tied to Christian calendar dates.

Advent calendars are a big tradition in Germany, and with 24 days of small gifts to be opened leading up to Christmas, these are not just for kids. Beyond the chocolate, you will find them themed for every taste, from LEGO® and PLAYMOBIL® to cosmetics and tools. There are beer and liquor Advent calendars, gami ed escape room calendars and even store-brand calendarsthat include the potential for winning big prizes.

Advent season is also the time when Christmas markets are set up in towns across Germany. In larger cities, the markets will run daily for the entire season, while smaller towns may only offer opening hours on weekends. A small, local village market may only open for a single weekend and will typically deconflict with surrounding villages to offer locals a nearby option each of the four advent weekends. Christmas markets are traditionally a place for community members to gather for some festive food and drinks, providing a social outlet during the darkest days of the year. In modern times, they have become destinations with tourists traveling to the big or notable markets in order to soak in the holiday atmosphere. There are tasty foods like roasted almonds, potato pancakes, bratwurst and smoked salmon. Sipping on hot winter beverages like Glühwein (spiced wine) and Feuerzangenbowle (flaming rum) while shopping market stalls is a holiday staple.

As Advent season progresses, the first big holy day for Germans is the feast day of Saint Nicholas. Dec. 6, marks the celebration of St. Nick, and much like American kids putting out a stocking for Santa, German families put out a shoe for Saint Nicholas. On Dec. 5, kids are found cleaning their best pair of boots or shoes and placing them outside their door in hopes that the kind old bishop will leave them some candy and maybe a little gift. In alpine traditions, St. Nicholas is accompanied by a goat-man character named Krampus whose role has evolved into being the one who punishes the naughty kids. On or around St. Nicholas day, you may see a Krampus character playing pranks at Christmas markets, and in mountain towns of Germany and Austria, there will be Krampus parades.

In many German homes, Heiligabend (Holy Evening, or Christmas Eve) is the night of gift giving. Families who attend church often go to an afternoon mass or nativity play prior to the evening festivities. On this night, family and friends gather for a special meal and the tree is brought inside and decorated. In many families, the kids are sent to their rooms while the Christkind (Christ child) or the Weihnachtsmann (Santa) lays out gifts below the tree. When the kids are called back in, the glow of the tree and excitement of gifts makes for a magical evening. The following two days, Dec. 25 and 26, are celebrated as Christmas holidays. These are days for large feasts, with traditional foods like duck, goose, potato dumplings and gingerbread being popular. Christmas days are also a time for visiting family or going out with friends.

• New Year’s Day: Jan. 1

• Epiphany: Jan. 6

• Easter holidays: April 3–6, 2026 | March 26–29, 2027

• Labor Day: May 1

• Ascension Day: May 14, 2026 | May 6, 2027

• Whit holidays: May 24-25, 2026 | May 16-17, 2027

• Corpus Christi: June 4, 2026 | May 27, 2027

• Assumption Day: Aug. 15

• Day of German Unity: Oct. 3

• Reformation Day: Oct. 31

• All Saint’s Day: Nov. 1

• Christmas holidays: Dec. 25–26