Some 17 million Germans do not partake in Christmas festivities, researchers say. But those who do, admit to overeating more than at any other time of year.
A new poll by market research firm YouGov carried out for the German Press Agency dpa revealed on Saturday that Germans freely admit to gorging themselves on sweets over the holidays. Every fourth adult German admitted to eating more, and much more unhealthily, than at any other time of the year.
About 16 percent said they ate "significantly more sweets" around Christmas, while 38 percent answered "a little more."
Depending on which survey you look at, Germany is either the second (behind Switzerland) or third (also behind Austria) biggest consumer of chocolate per capita in the world. The same goes for sugar in general. In studies, Germany tends to come in either second or third place, behind the United States and sometimes also the Netherlands.
To combat Germany's rising rates of obesity, federal Food and Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner has recently announced that new measures will soon be rolled out to combat the rising amounts of sugar, salt and fat in convenience foods.
Berlin's botanical gardens lit for ChristmasImage: picture-alliance/Xinhua News Agency/S. Yuqi
17 million Germans don't celebrate Christmas
But while Germans may be unable to give up their chocolate and frozen pizza, an increasing number are giving up Christmas altogether.
A separate YouGov poll found that 17 million people in Germany do not celebrate Christmas, and some of that can be chalked up to Germany's immigrant population, which is largely Muslim.
However, there are fewer than 5 million Muslims in Germany. Immigrant families only accounted for about 20 percent of respondents who told researchers that they avoid Christmas celebrations.
Christmas tree in BerlinImage: DW/C. Deicke
Mostly 18- to 30-year-olds opt out
The poll found that the majority of the people not partaking in the holiday were young adults between the ages of 18 and 30, and overwhelmingly male.
This group was also more likely to say that a wedding was a waste of money and to disagree with the statement that gifts are a good way to express appreciation and affection.
One key reason that may account for the drop in Christmas celebrations could be economic. People need to save the money they could spend on presents and sumptuous food during the holidays.
However, the survey also found that Christmas remains Germany's biggest festival of the year, both in economic and personal terms.
The Advent calendar's sweet history
Twenty-four doors, 24 surprises - Advent calenders sweeten the wait for Christmas. Tracing its origins back a century, this German tradition has found its way into the hearts of children and adults around the world.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Counting down to Christmas
With the opening of each little door, Christmas Eve creeps closer. Advent calendars aren't just popular for children in Germany, but also adults. Whether purchased or handmade, filled with chocolate or toys, they've got a big fan following. The story of this German tradition traces its roots back to early 20th-century Protestantism.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Back to the roots
Until the 16th century, children received their holiday presents on St. Nicholas' Day, December 6. Reformist Martin Luther, however, rejected the veneration of saints and changed the tradition. Since then, gift exchanges occur on Christmas. To shorten the longer waiting time for children, Protestants developed several customs, including the Advent calendar.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
One straw per day
Poor families often just marked 24 chalk lines on the door, and the children would erase one each day. Others put straws in a manger. Variations included candles with 24 tick marks or paper chains, from which one link was torn off each day. In some more wealthy homes, the children got gingerbread. Even Catholics enjoyed the advent calendar, and the tradition spread across Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/KNA-Bild
First time in print
In 1902, a Protestant book store in Hamburg printed the first Advent calendar - in the form of a clock. Two years later the newspaper Stuttgarter Neuen Tagblatt included a "Christmas calendar" in one of its editions. In 1908, the Munich publishing house Gerhard Lang sold colorful photos to cut out and paste onto 24 slots on cardboard.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
A surprise behind every door
The first Advent calendars with little doors made their debut on the market in 1920. Behind every door was a picture or Bible verse. During Nazi rule, fairytale figures or Germanic gods replaced the Christian symbols in order to separate Christmas from its religious background.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Mass production
From the 1950s onward, the Advent calendar became affordable as a mass-produced product. Behind the doors, little photos with snow-covered villages and landscapes or religious motifs could be found. Some calendars contained chocolates or other sweets. The calendar pictured here is from 1965.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Purchased or homemade
Most of today's store-bought Advent calendars contain chocolates in various holiday shapes. Even little toys or other tiny treasures could be hiding behind the door. For those who choose to make their own Advent calendar for loved ones, anything goes. For example, 24 little wrapped packets representing each day could be tied onto a string or put into a box.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Advent calendars around the world
Christmas is no longer just a Christian holiday, but also a festival of consumerism. There are now Advent calendars around the world featuring jewelry, beer, cosmetics and other goods. In some cases, the motifs are universal: Instead of the Christ child, there are chocolate figurines in the shape of bears and even Bambi.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Opening a window
Meanwhile, some cities feature house-sized Advent calendars, where a real window is opened every day. The world's largest free-standing Advent calendar is part of a house in Leipzig. Its area measures 857 square meters (9, 200 square feet). Up until Christmas Eve, one of the windows opens at 4:00 p.m. each day to reveal an illuminated holiday motif.
