December 2023 - South Africans in Germany

December

In December the main focus is on Christmas, and the Germans have many Christmas traditions to celebrate.

Christmas markets are a very big part of these traditions. Meet up with friends at these beautifully decorated markets where you can buy delicious food, glühwein, handmade items and Christmas cards. Some markets are themed, such as the middle-age market in Esslingen or the baroque one in Ludwigsburg. There are also Christmas market tours that you can do.
To avoid crowds, it is best to go during the day, although you will miss out on the cosy nighttime atmosphere enhanced by the countless Christmas lights and decorations.

Christmas Day is usually a quiet day spent with family. Shops are closed as well as most restaurants.

After the quiet celebrations of Christmas Day, comes New Year’s Eve. Here it is celebrated with a bang – literally! Fireworks can be seen everywhere. Just take note that fireworks are legally sold between 28-30 December and you are only able to light them from 31 Dec through 1 Jan.

It is also a bit of a tradition to watch Dinner for One on New Year’s Eve, eat Raclette and wash it down with a good Riesling or Sekt

Plan your month

everything you need to know

Weather

Season	Autumn / Winter. The astronomical start of winter is between 20 and 23 December. It is based on the changing position of Earth in relation to the sun and the resulting solar events of equinoxes and solstices. Meteorological Winter is defined by climatic conditions and the annual temperature cycle. In most of the Northern Hemisphere, meteorological winter is generally defined as the three months of December, January and February, with the season starting on 1 December.
Time	Central European Time (CET), Wintertime– One hour behind South Africa until the last Sunday of March, when Summertime starts.
Weather	December is one of the coldest months in Germany,. The temperature can drop well below freezing but can also warm up to above 10 °C.. The weather can be quite unpredictable, depending on your location, expect a lot or rain, ice rain, frost, fog and some snow. The mountainous regions will get more snow than the low-lying areas. Christmas is rarely a postcard image of white snow all over.

Festivals

Most Christmas markets open at the end of November and stay open until just before Christmas. We have a page dedicated to Christmas markets, with information about the types of food you can expect, and some insider tips from fellow South Africans.
In various cities, you can visit Christmas Gardens, which are a festival of Christmas lights

Christmas Markets

Visiting Christmas markets in Germany is a delightful way of celebrating the festive season. The heavy scent of sweets, fried sausage and warm wine welcome

Holidays

Holiday	Date	Information	States
Public Holidays
1st Day of Christmas / 1. Weihnachtsfeiertag	25.12.2023		All
2nd Day of Christmas / 2. Weihnachtsfeiertag	26.12.2023		All
Observations
1. Advent	03.12.2023		All
Saint Nicholas Day / Nikolaus-tag	06.12.2023	St Nicholas Day	All
2. Advent	10.12.2023		All
3. Advent	17.12.2023		All
Winter Solstice	21.12.2023	The winter solstice, also known as midwinter, occurs when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt away from the Sun. It is the longest night (darkness) in the year.	All
4. Advent	24.12.2023
Christmas Eve /Heiligabend	24.12.2023		All
New Year’s Eve / Silvester	31.12.2023	New Years in Germany	All

Events

Events listed on our website

XJAZZ! Festival – Berlin

06/05/2024 – 12/05/2024 @ 12:00 am – XJAZZ! Festival, Germany’s most famous jazz festival, which attracts more than 20,000 regional and international fans, celebrates its 10th Anniversary in Berlin Kreuzberg from 6 to 12 May 2024. This year’s lineup will be covering 7 days of music, featuring 80 diverse live and DJ acts, 9 indoor and outdoor venues, side events, as well […]

African Food Festival Berlin

04/05/2024 – 05/05/2024 @ 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Experience the diverse flavours of African cuisine at the AFFB Spring Market – an exquisite celebration of African food, music & culture! Welcome to the AFRICAN FOOD FESTIVAL BERLIN – SPRING MARKET! Join us on Sat May 04 + Sun 05 2024 starting at 12:00 PM at Jules | B-Part for a weekend filled with delicious food, electrifying music, and unique shopping […]

Blak Allure With Attitude – Berlin

03/05/2024 – 04/05/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Blak Allure is the very FIRST all African Acrobat show with Adelle Nqeto on 3/ 4 May This is an external event and not organised by us. It is shared for information purposes only Tickets on Eventim

Lucy Kruger and The Lost Boys

17/05/2024 @ 7:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Lucy Kruger and The Lost Boys, an art-pop noise project, will do an intense show at the Orange Blossom Festival at Glitterhouse Garten, Beverungen, North- Rhine Westphalia (NRW) on 17 May 2024. With her calm voice South African-born and Berlin-based musician, Lucy Kruger fronts the band, whose music is melancholic and unreal thanks to its […]

Bongeziwe Mabandla in Berlin

23/05/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – After his sold-out concert on 3 March, award-winning South African musician Bongeziwe Mabandla is back in Berlin on 23 May hours at the Kulturbrauerei. Mabandla is a South African award-winning singer, musician and songwriter from the rural town of Tsolo in the Eastern Cape. He has recorded four highly acclaimed albums and has performed on […]

Bok van Blerk & Riaan Benade

17/10/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Welcome, music lovers, to an evening dedicated to the unforgettable sounds of Riaan Benade and Bok van Blerk. From the vast plains of South Africa, these two extraordinary artists come together to enchant us with their unique voices and enchanting melodies. These artists enjoy world fame in their home country, so prepare yourself for an […]

Fokofpolisiekar / Die Heuwels Fantasties

12/07/2024 @ 7:00 pm – 11:45 pm – After a sold-out show in 2023, Fokofpolisiekar is back. This time they bring their friends from Cape Town, Die Heuwels Fantasties, as support. There is no better live combo showcasing the best of African rock and African alternative music than these two acts. It will be energetic, melodic and full of nostalgia as these two […]

Voting Abroad – 2024 – Berlin

18/05/2024 @ 7:00 am – 7:00 pm – Casting of votes at a foreign mission A person who wants to cast a special vote at a foreign mission in terms of section 33(3) or (4), may do so on 17 May 2024 and 18 May 2024, between 07:00 and 19:00, depending on the host country’s dominant religious and cultural practices. In practice, this […]

Voting Abroad 2024 – Munich

Trevor Noah Tour – Berlin

01/08/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Trevor Noah Off the Record Tour. The actual time is not published yet, estimated it will be in the evening We are not the organisers of this event it is shared for information purposes only Tickets via the Trevor Noah website – this will take you to the Eventim Website

Trevor Noah Tour – Stuttgart

03/08/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Trevor Noah Off the Record Tour. The actual time is not published yet, estimated it will be in the evening We are not the organisers of this event it is shared for information purposes only Tickets via the Trevor Noah website – this will take you to the Eventim Website

The African Picnic Festival at the Goethe Institute in Schwäbisch Hall

31/05/2024 – 02/06/2024 @ All Day – The African Picnic Festival at Goethe Institute in Schwäbisch Hall, Baden-Württemberg, is the brainchild of Mthunzi Fesi, a young South African, who is also a promoter for South African artists touring Europe. The festival was first hosted on 16 June 2014. This year, the ninth edition of the festival will take place from 31 May […]

Some foods and drinks to try

01.

Hot mulled wine to warm you up at the Christmas markets. The alcohol free version is called Kinderpunch

02.

a traditional German alcoholic drink for which a rum-soaked sugarloaf is set on fire and drips into mulled wine

03.

The best you can buy is Dresden Stollen, which is more expensive but excellent quality

04.

Try Lebkuchen (gingerbread), Elisen (also gingerbread but with more nuts inside), Zimtsterne (star-shaped cookies), Pfeffernüsse (iced gingerbread), Vanillekipferln (vanilla cookies shaped like a moon) or Springerle (anise flavoured hard cookie)

05.

The ultimate cheese fest! You can find more info on our Raclette page

Fruit and Veggies in Season

Holiday Greetings

Ich wünsche euch allen einen wunderschönen geruhsamen 1.Advent	I wish you all a wonderful peaceful 1st Advent
Frohe Weihnachten!	Merry Christmas!
Gesegnete Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr!	Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Herzliche Weihnachtsgrüße!	Merry Christmas!
Ein frohes Weihnachtsfest und alles Gute zum neuen Jahr!	Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Alles Gute zum neuen Jahr!	Happy new year!
Einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr!	Happy New Year!
Zum neuen Jahr Gesundheit, Glück und viel Erfolg!	Happy New Year! health, happiness and much success!