Winter holidays in Germany in January, February, and December
German holidays in winter: public, traditional, and religious holidays with dates for 2025, 2026, 2027.
Many holidays in Germany have moving dates that change every year, so the exact dates should be checked separately for each year. In the tables below, you will find the dates and brief descriptions of each holiday. Lists of public holidays in Germany and the school holiday schedule are available on separate pages.
Winter holiday dates in Germany
Winter holidays in Germany in January 2026
| Date | Holiday name | Name in German |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January (Thu) | New Year's Day | Neujahrstag |
| The first day of the calendar year. 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 (Tue) | Epiphany | 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 (Thu) | 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 (Sun) | Birds Wedding | Vogelhochzeit |
| A custom, children's holiday, the beginning of the birds mating season. Is usually celebrated in kindergartens and elementary schools. | ||
Winter holidays in Germany in February 2026
| Date | Holiday name | Name in German |
|---|---|---|
| 2 February (Mon) | Presentation of the Lord | 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 (Tue) | St. Blaise's Day | Tag des heiligen Blasius |
| On this day a church service is held. | ||
| 12 February (Thu) | Fat Thursday | Schmotziger Donnerstag |
| The beginning of the main Carnival week, as well as the last Thursday before Lent | ||
| 14 February (Sat) | St. Valentine's Day | Valentinstag |
| A holiday popular in Germany in recent years: lovers give each other presents | ||
| 16 February (Mon) | Rose Monday | Rosenmontag |
| The climax of the Carnival season and its end. The day of festive processions (Rosenmontagszug). | ||
| 18 February (Wed) | 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 2026
| Date | Holiday name | Name in German |
|---|---|---|
| 4 December (Fri) | 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 (Sun) | The 2nd Advent | 2. Advent |
| The Third Sunday before Christmas, the time of preparation for Christmas | ||
| 6 December (Sun) | St. Nicholas’s 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. | ||
| 13 December (Sun) | The 3rd Advent | 3. Advent |
| The Second Sunday before Christmas, the time of preparation for Christmas | ||
| 13 December (Sun) | 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. | ||
| 18 December (Fri) | 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. | ||
| 20 December (Sun) | The 4th Advent | 4. Advent |
| The First Sunday before Christmas, the time of preparation for Christmas | ||
| 24 December (Thu) | Christmas Eve | Heiligabend |
| Christmas Eve, evening and night on the eve of Christmas. Time for giving Christmas gifts. | ||
| 25 December (Fri) | Christmas | Weihnachten |
| The main religious celebration in Christianity, the day is celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ (1st Christmas Day). The main celebration falls on the evening and night of 24 December, the Christmas Eve. | ||
| 26 December (Sat) | The 2nd day of Christmas | 2. Weihnachtstag |
| The second day of Christmas, which is sometimes called Stephanitag | ||
| 26 December (Sat) | 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 (Thu) | New Year's Eve | 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 federal states (see the table of German public holidays).
- Religious holidays that are not particularly popular in Germany are highlighted in gray.
Author team kalender-plus.de
Last updated:
Popular winter holidays in Germany in January, February, and December.