Having a successful Christmas feast seems like a real challenge in 2021. Differences in opinion can quickly escalate into heated holiday arguments. Here's a how-to guide, focusing on German Christmas traditions.
Christmas in Germany is foodie heaven — but it's becoming harder to make absolutely everyone feel welcomeImage: picture-alliance/P. Rakusan
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From cooking the right food to singing the sweetest carols to social distancing rules, the holidays are also a minefield that could easily turn that most wonderful time of the year into a rather chaotic affair.
While various cultures celebrate Christmas with their own traditions, there are some general rules that apply — especially when it comes to food. Christmas is a time for aromatic, wintery comfort foods with lots of flavor and starch — whether you choose to celebrate on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
In Germany, for instance, the time leading up to Christmas is all about your sweet tooth. During the four weeks of Advent, people can enjoy St. Nicholas Day sweets, gingerbread houses, mulled wine at Christmas markets, Advent calendars filled with chocolate and Christmas gatherings involving lots of baked goodies.
It wouldn't be German baking if it didn't involve engineering skillsImage: picture-alliance/imagebroker/Creativ Studio Heinemann
Something fishy about Christmas
This might be one of the reasons why many people in Germany prefer to go for a "poor man's dinner" on Christmas Eve after weeks of syrupy indulgence. This usually consists of fried or cooked fish — typically carp — accompanied by a potato salad and sauerkraut.
The eating of fish is especially common among Catholics, for whom having light meals is a sign of fasting and reflection on important days in the church calendar. Many go for midnight mass on Christmas Eve, leaving dinner until afterwards; the thinking behind this is that you wouldn't really want to have a heavy meal at two in the morning.
Last Christmas, I gave you my carp...Image: picture alliance/CTK/P. Rakusa
Other families even find the preparation of fish too fussy and opt instead to replace the fish with sausage. After all, nearly everyone loves a good sausage in Germany. Indeed, statistically speaking, this is the most common item on the menu on Christmas Eve.
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Wild goose chase for the perfect dinner
Others feel that the coming together of family over the holidays makes for a celebration, so they forego the German tradition of carp or sausage for the real deal: roast goose with all the trimmings.
This is a lavish meal that takes a lot of preparation, and normally features certain side dishes. Your bird is typically basted with herbs like marjoram and ingredients including onions, prunes and chestnuts. A gravy sauce is made from the juices dripping into a pan at the bottom of your oven as the goose roasts for hours.
This is what traditional Christmas looks — and tastes — like for many GermansImage: picture-alliance/P. Pleul
This meal is accompanied by red cabbage as well as dumplings, which can be made either from potatoes or stale bread. Roast apples with lots of cloves can be added as another side-dish, though many people prefer this as a dessert.
Meanwhile, some households take a different yet equally traditional approach, presenting braised hare as their Christmas meal. The bunny involved is tenderized in wine for days before it gets boiled in spices and vegetables as a stew.
And for those who want to break with old traditions, there's the Swiss solution: Many Germans own the right crockery to make fondue or raclette over the holidays. Like fondue, raclette is a cheesy affair, but involves a base of cooked potatoes, followed by a lot of imagination. You can add anything from onions and cold meats to pineapple and even slices of bananas to your creation — as long as it's topped with stinky, stinky cheese.
Double-dipping welcome: some families associate fondue with ChristmasImage: picture-alliance/Keystone/G. Bally
This Swiss approach is usually accompanied with mulled wine or Jagertee — a potent tea mix featuring spices and copious amounts of rum.
Preparation is key
But with many foodies getting pickier, you might have to plan your menu well in advance, catering to the different tastes and dietary requirements of those at the dinner table.
Indeed, there are recipes for vegan goose involving tofu, lentils and other replacements, or you could use tempeh to get that gamey taste of braised hare. You can find vegan products at most supermarkets now if that's your idea of a good Christmas.
There is no reason why vegans shouldn't get to enjoy all the wonderful tastes of the holidaysImage: picture-alliance/ZB/B. Pedersen
But it is unlikely that you will find a one-size-fits-all solution. If you want to be a hostess with the mostest, you may need to produce individual portions catering to unique needs instead of having one crowning centerpiece at your Christmas banquet.
Many Germans prepare the complicated dishes and freeze them in advance while catering to vegan and lactose intolerant Christmas revelers like myself on the day itself.
The rise of meat substitutes
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Bah, humbug
Meanwhile, there are other considerations beyond catering that are increasingly making the holidays a logistic nightmare for organizers. Is your wokeenvironmetalist relative reminding you of various pitfalls, such as the carbon footprint of candles? They're not exactly wrong: An average candle releases about 10 grams of CO2.
Try to accommodate them by perhaps going electric or battery-driven. You might, however, want to prepare for a discussion on the impact of batteries on nature — or a debate on whether gifts should be wrapped in non-recycled paper, or whether treess should be felled for decorating while the rainforest is dying.
A problematic sight — for someImage: Imago Images/Panthermedia/Homy Design
In a situation like that, singing a Christmas carol might just lighten the mood. Who doesn't love a heart-warming holiday tune featuring lots of jingle bells on a silent night while sharing joy to the world?
When picking your playlist, however, you might want to filter out some of the songs and carols. For example, the conjured image of mommy kissing Santa Claus under the mistletoe could lead to lasting trauma for some.
10 Christmas songs Germany can't get enough of
Many Germans have a soft spot for Yuletide musical classics, while others prefer pop, the kitschier the better.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/S. Ziese
Mariah is number one on Spotify
What is Germany's favorite Christmas song? The answer to that depends on whom you ask. According to the music-streaming service Spotify, the queen of the Yuletide season is demurely attired American songstress Mariah Carey. Her 1994 hit "All I Want For Christmas is You" tops the list of most-played holiday songs among Germans.
Image: Getty Images
Wooden rappers delight masses
Coming in second on the Spotify list is a song that's unusual in a number of ways. "Holz" - or "Wood" - is the brainchild of German-language rap duo, the 257ers, from the city of Essen. The chorus runs "me and my wood ... wood, wood wood." No sexual innuendo there. The accompanying video has been viewed more than 3.6 million times on YouTube.
Image: Imago/S. Simon
'Stille Nacht' tops the traditionalist list
Of course, not everyone gets music via Spotify. According to a survey carried out by yougov.com, Germany's favorite Christmas carol is that old warhorse, "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht." English speakers know it as "Silent Night," but like "Holz," it's a German-language original, having made its debut in 1818 in Oberndorf, Austria.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Kappeler
The broad appeal of Wham!
The only song to make the top five on both the Spotify and yougov lists (number 3 and 2 respectively) is the George Michael-penned "Last Christmas" from 1984. The song was originally supposed to be called "Last Easter," but it was wisely renamed and released a bit earlier. Sadly, Michael died at the age of 53 late on Christmas Day 2016.
Softly falling snow music to Germans' ears
Another perennial German favorite is the 1895 carol "Leise rieselt der Schnee" (Softly Falls the Snow). It's one of many Yuletide songs to feature the Christkind, or Christ child. In parts of southern Germany and elsewhere, the Christ child plays the role of Santa Claus, visiting children and bringing them presents at Christmas.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K.-J. Hildenbrand
'White Christmas' has still got some ba-da-bing
Parked right behind "Leise rieselt der Schnee" on many German favorite lists is the Bing Crosby classic "White Christmas." In times of climate change, the lines "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas/Just like the ones I used to know" take on additional poignancy. Composer Irving Berlin allegedly considered it the best song written by anyone ever.
Image: picture-alliance/KPA/TopFoto
Melanie Thornton's Wonderful Dream
American singer Melanie Thronton is largely unknown in the US, but she had a string of minor hits in Europe as part of the Eurodance duo La Bouche in the 1990s. In Germany, she's best-loved for her 2001 song "Wonderful Dream (Holidays are Coming)," recorded for a Coca-Cola ad. But she didn't get to enjoy its success. She died in a plane crash in November that year.
Image: AP
Germans love ringing in the holidays
Bells feature prominently in Christmas carols in many countries, but Germans seem to have a particular affinity for them. Among the traditional top ten are two bell songs: "Süsser die Glocken nie klingen" (Never have the bells rung sweeter") and "Kling, Glöckchen, klingelingeling" (Ring, little bell, dingalingaling). Perhaps an antidote to "Silent Night"?
Image: DW/G. Petrovskaya
Germans say hooray for Rea
Chris Rea is one of that breed of Anglo-American musicians who seem to strike a deeper chord in Germany than in their homelands. The Englishman's 1986 song "Driving Home for Christmas" was a minor hit in the UK, but it was number four on Spotify Germany this year. Of course, what the singer described as a "carol in a car" is natural for the land of the Autobahn.
Image: picture-alliance/schroewig
A song against infidelity
Another German favorite is "O Tannenbaum," which is (mis-)translated as "O Christmas Tree." The original German lyrics from 1814 don't mention the holiday. Instead, the singer praises the evergreen tree (Tannenbaum) as a model for faithfulness the whole year round. Still, Germans still cite it as one of their favorite Christmas tunes, even if it's not really about Christmas at all.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/S. Ziese
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The same advice goes for Christmas movies: there are some titles which may be difficult to pull off these days. Not everyone thinks that Ebenezer Scrooge deserves to redeem himself; and some have started picking up misogynistic undertones in classics like "It's a Wonderful Life."
In order to get everyone through 90 minutes of silver screen fun, consider having several options at the ready.
Try not to be a Scrooge this ChristmasImage: Kerry Brown/Everett Collection/picture alliance
CO-CO-COVID
The COVID pandemic means there are even more things to consider. Every decent Christmas planner has to take social distancing rules and support bubbles seriously.
For starters, make sure that there is a mask for every chair at the table as well as plenty of hand sanitizer to go around. You might also want to insist on same-day COVID tests to be produced in order to minimize infection chains. You can send out little test kits along with your original invitations in the mail.
Ventilation might be difficult if the temperatures outside are around freezing, but some cold air is still better than catching the virus. And it's up to you to decide to exclude anyone who isn't vaccinated.
No kisses under the mistletoe this yearImage: Hippocampus Bildarchiv/picture-alliance
Also, try to stick to elbow bumps instead of hugs and kisses. Andkissing underneath the mistletoe is a no-no until we get a firm and lasting grip on the pandemic situation. Instead of kisses, you can write notes and hang them on the branch, sharing compliments with your loved ones.
Most importantly, if you notice that you have stopped tasting and smelling while preparing the perfect braised hare or delicious carp, you'll likely have to call the party off and self-isolate over Christmas.
At least you'll have a selection of movies to watch and mulled wine to keep you warm.
Celebrating Christmas despite COVID
Things will be quieter than usual in Germany's churches this Christmas. The festive concerts have been cancelled, but the Christmas services will be taking place under coronavirus restrictions.
Image: picture alliance/D. Kalker
The Frauenkirche church in Dresden
Dresden's Frauenkirche church is regarded worldwide as a symbol of reconciliation. It was rebuilt after its destruction in World War II with donations from all over the world. Since 1993, when the altar was uncovered in the ruins, an open-air vesper has been held on December 23 — most recently with 18,000 people. This year there will only be a live stream from the church without any attendance.
Image: picture-alliance/ZB/T. Eisenhuth
Thomaskirche church in Leipzig
The Nikolaikirche church in Leipzig is synonymous with the Peaceful Revolution, the Thomaskirche church with Johann Sebastian Bach, who was cantor there for 27 years. On Christmas Eve, the people of Leipzig are drawn to Bach's church to listen to the St. Thomas Boys Choir. The choir will perform again this year, but the number of visitors is reduced and registration is required.
Image: Bachfest Leipzig/J. Schlueter
Frauenkirche church in Munich
The imposing Liebfrauendom church is the landmark of the Bavarian capital. It literally heralds Christmas for the people of Munich. On Christmas Eve at 3 p.m., the 10 bells in the two towers chime for 20 minutes. Because only 130 registered visitors will be able to attend the solemn Christmas mass, it will also be broadcast live online.
Image: picture-alliance/Chromorange/A. Gravante
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral is the landmark of the Rhine metropolis, visible from afar. At 157 meters (515 ft) high, Cologne Cathedral is the third tallest church in the world. To ensure that as many people as possible can celebrate Christmas Eve in the Gothic cathedral this year despite the strict hygiene regulations, there will be four Christmas masses for which online registration is required.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Berg
Aachen Cathedral
Boasting 1,224 years of history, the Aachen Cathedral is a famous pilgrimage site. Founded by Charlemagne, for centuries it was the coronation church of German kings. The festive Christmas masses under the cathedral's huge dome are something very special. Because of coronavirus restrictions, only 120 visitors will be allowed to enjoy them at one time; twice as many masses are planned here too.
Image: DW/Muhammad Mostafigur Rahman
Hamburg's 'Michel'
St. Michael's Church, called "Michel" by the people of Hamburg, is seen as northern Germany's most beautiful baroque church. On Christmas Eve, there's always a continuous service in the Michel, candles are lit, and people sing together (archive photo). A beloved tradition that will continue this year: The services will be held alternately indoors and outdoors under coronavirus regulations.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin
The old steeple is a reminder of the destruction during World War II, the new one a feat of reconstruction. The Memorial Church is a landmark and a memorial — a place that provides unwavering comfort and confidence. On Christmas Eve, masses will be held with fewer visitors, more distancing and hygiene rules.
Image: picture-alliance/ ZB
Ulm Minster
At 161.5 meters (530 ft), Ulm Minster has the tallest steeple in the world. In good weather, the view from the observation deck reaches as far as the Alps. Christmas services will also be held in Germany's biggest Protestant church, but they will be limited to half an hour, reservations will be required for visitors, and hygiene and distance rules will apply.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Puchner
Hildesheim Cathedral
No less than 40 churches dominate the cityscape of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony. The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is 1,200 years old and a jewel of Romanesque architecture. What a festive setting for services during the Christmas holidays! Each of the 11 services will be open to 80 registered visitors, and the Christmas Eve mass will be available as a live stream online.
Image: Fotolia/panoramarx
Erfurt (St. Mary's) Cathedral
A Gothic package: St. Mary's Cathedral (left), St. Severus Church (right). For many Erfurt residents, Cathedral Hill is the place where the mystery of Christmas becomes apparent. Namely, when the holiday is celebrated on Christmas Eve at 11:30 p.m. in St. Mary's Cathedral, with Christmas carols and readings from the Christmas Gospel. This year too — but with distancing and hygiene precautions.
