Winter holidays in Germany in January, February, and December
German holidays in winter: state, folk, religious holidays with celebration dates by years 2023, 2024, 2025.
Many holidays in Germany have sliding dates that change every year, so the exact dates need to be checked separately for each year. In the following tables, you will find dates and a brief description for each celebration. State holidays in Germany, the schedule of school vacations in Germany can be found on separate pages of our website.
List of holidays
Winter holidays in Germany in January 2024
| Date | The name of the holiday | Name in German |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2024 (Mo) | New Year's Day | Neujahrstag |
| The new calendar year first day onset. The holiday is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1. It is celebrated with merry-making: fireworks, champagne, night festivities. | ||
| 6 January 2024 (Sa) | Twelfth-day | Heilige Drei Könige |
| Epiphany, the Baptism or the Feast of the Three Kings, the last day of the Christmas period. A church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ. | ||
| 22 January 2024 (Mo) | St. Vincent's Day | Tag des heiligen Vinzenz |
| The day of the Christian Saint Martyr Vincent. Often linked to the Birds Wedding holiday | ||
| 25 January 2024 (Th) | Birds Wedding | Vogelhochzeit |
| A custom, children's holiday, the beginning of the birds mating season. Is usually celebrated in kindergartens and elementary school. | ||
Winter holidays in Germany in February 2024
| Date | The name of the holiday | Name in German |
|---|---|---|
| 2 February 2024 (Fr) | The Lord's Offering | Darstellung des Herrn |
| Bringing Jesus Christ to the temple by his parents on the 40th day after the birth. On this day, according to the tradition, pancakes and crepes are baked. | ||
| 3 February 2024 (Sa) | St. Blaise's Day | Tag des heiligen Blasius |
| On this day a church service is held. | ||
| 8 February 2024 (Th) | Fasnat | Schmotziger Donnerstag |
| The beginning of the main Carnival week, as well as the last Thursday before Lent | ||
| 12 February 2024 (Mo) | Pink Monday | Rosenmontag |
| The climax of the Carnival season and its end. The day of festive processions (Rosenmontagszug). | ||
| 14 February 2024 (We) | St. Valentine's Day | Valentinstag |
| A holiday popular in Germany in recent years: lovers give each other presents | ||
| 14 February 2024 (We) | Ash Wednesday | Aschermittwoch |
| The beginning of the forty-day Lent. Traditionally, in churches, the heads of parishioners are sprinkled with ashes or ashes are applied to the forehead, as a symbol of repentance. The liturgical colours are violet. | ||
Winter holidays in Germany in December 2024
| Date | The name of the holiday | Name in German |
|---|---|---|
| 1 December 2024 (Su) | Advent | 1. Advent |
| Advent or First Advent. The beginning of the Christmas period, the time of preparation for Christmas; the 4th Sunday before Christmas. | ||
| 4 December 2024 (We) | St. Barbara's Day | Tag der heiligen Barbara |
| On this day, according to the custom, the branches of apple trees and cherries are cut and put in vases. | ||
| 6 December 2024 (Fr) | St. Nicolas Day | Nikolaustag |
| Bishop Nicholas or Nicholas the Wonderworker, who is venerated on this day, is considered the prototype of Santa Claus, Father Christmas. Traditionally, children receive gifts on this day. In the evening, on the eve of St. Nicholas Day, children put shoes or hang a stocking in front of the door, in which they receive a gift from Nikolaus. According to the tradition, Nikolaus is accompanied by his anti-image Ruprecht Knecht, punishing disobedient children. More customs of the Christmas period are described on a dedicated page. | ||
| 8 December 2024 (Su) | The 2nd Advent | 2. Advent |
| The Third Sunday before Christmas, the time of preparation for Christmas | ||
| 13 December 2024 (Fr) | Saint Lucy's Day | Luciafest |
| The custom of dressing a little girl as Saint Lucy, wearing a white dress, a red sash, and a circlet of flowers with burning candles. The rite is not very common in Germany. | ||
| 15 December 2024 (Su) | The 3rd Advent | 3. Advent |
| The Second Sunday before Christmas, the time of preparation for Christmas | ||
| 18 December 2024 (We) | International Migrants Day | Internationaler Tag der Migranten |
| The International Migrants Day was established by the UN. On December 18, 1990, they adopted the United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. It sets out the standards that should guide the governments of all countries. | ||
| 22 December 2024 (Su) | The 4th Advent | 4. Advent |
| The First Sunday before Christmas, the time of preparation for Christmas | ||
| 24 December 2024 (Tu) | Christmas Eve | Heiligabend |
| Christmas Eve, evening and night on the eve of Christmas. Time for giving Christmas gifts. | ||
| 25 December 2024 (We) | Christmas | Weihnachten |
| The main religious celebration in Christianity, the day is considered the birthday of Jesus Christ - 1. Weihnachtstag. The main celebration falls on the evening and night of 24 December, the Christmas Eve. | ||
| 26 December 2024 (Th) | The 2nd day of Christmas | 2. Weihnachtstag |
| The second day of Christmas, which is sometimes called Stephanitag | ||
| 26 December 2024 (Th) | St. Stephen's Day | Stephanitag |
| A memorial day in honor of the first Christian martyr Stephen (in German: Stephanus). The 2nd Christmas day is named after him in some German-speaking countries. | ||
| 31 December 2024 (Tu) | Sylvester | Silvester |
| Also called "Saint Sylvester‘s Day". The last day of the outgoing year, followed by the new year. Sylvester is the New Year's Eve in Germany. | ||
Explanation of the table:
- German public holiday, which is an additional day off.
- A public holiday, which is an additional day off in some German lands (see the table of German public holidays).
- Religious holidays that are not particularly popular in Germany are highlighted in gray.
Holidays in spring, Holidays in summer, Holidays in autumn
RU-GELD.DE Team
Last updated:
Winter holidays in Germany in January, February, and December 2023, 2024, 2025
