Customs in Germany

Germans-toasting
Germany is one of the most advanced countries in Europe, not to say that it is the most advanced of all along with England. It is not that it is a tourist powerhouse like Spain or France, but thanks to its most important cities it manages to convince hundreds of thousands of people every year, the same can be said of its most beautiful villages , some of which are truly spectacular. .

If you are going to visit Germany for holidays or are thinking of going to live there to find work, it is worth knowing the most deeply-rooted customs and traditions of the country, which I will talk about next in this article.

Beer is sacred

Don’t be surprised that beer costs about the same as water. There it is the national drink thanks to a multitude of brands such as Paulaner, which is originally from Munich. It is not uncommon to see people ordering a liter of beer for lunch or dinner.

Distance and few hugs

Germans are not like Spaniards or South Americans. They find it more difficult to get closer to other people when having a conversation, while hugging is something that is rather reserved for very close family and friends. For this reason, they usually greet each other by shaking hands.

greeting-germans

Puntuality

They are not British, but they like British punctuality . It is very frowned upon for someone to arrive before or after the scheduled time for an appointment.

Recycling

Germans love to recycle because they are so conscientious. What’s more, since the garbage is collected there every two weeks approximately, the containers are thoroughly washed before throwing them away to avoid bad odors.

recycling

Tips

Taxi drivers and hairdressers usually get good tips. In hotels and restaurants that does not happen, since they include a 10% service expense reflected in the bill.

Foods

The main meal is lunch , although the breakfasts are not short. Sausages ( Bratwurst ), honey buns and cold cuts are very common in Germany.

Festivities

The best known festivals in this Central European country are the Cologne Carnival and Oktoberfest , although each region celebrates its festivals.

Oktoberfest

Christmas

There, December 5 is a very important date, since it is when Nikolaus , the German Santa Claus, arrives at the houses. She often leaves candy, trinkets, and gifts in children’s shoes. Of course, he also whips children who have not behaved well with his sack, something that in southern Germany is a thing of Krampus, the Christmas demon.

Women

Formerly it was said that women should stick to the « 3 K «: Kinder (children), Kirche (church) and Küche (kitchen). Today, luckily, things have changed a lot and women occupy important positions in companies. In fact, Angela Merkel has been the Chancellor of Germany since 2005.

Restaurants

When you go to a restaurant, do not sit at a table with a sign with the word Stammtisch on it , as it is reserved for regular customers. The " bon appetit " is desired with a gutten appetit and to toast you can use Zum Wohl! or Prost! , although it is true that the latter is the most frequent when it comes to toasting with beer.

Stammtisch

Valentine’s Day

On February 14, Valentine’s Day, lovers give each other a pig that can be made of chocolate. It is not as rewarding as a massage or a jewel, but they say it brings luck.

Marriage

Before the wedding, the Polterabend arrives, a party that anyone can attend and where dishes are broken. The couple must pick up the pieces that are on the floor to show that they know how to work as a team . Something similar, and no less laborious, is the tradition of cutting a log with a double-handled saw once they are married. Doing so is supposed to make it clear that you are willing to overcome all kinds of difficulties as a marriage.

New Years Eve and New Years

It is strange, but in Germany they usually say goodbye to the year by watching Dinner for one , a British short film that describes a woman’s 90th birthday. It first aired in 1963 and has not stopped broadcasting ever since. Without going any further, more than one television station gets on the bandwagon every December 31 to ensure a good audience share.

New Year’s Eve, as in many other places in the world, is celebrated with fireworks. In Berlin, just as in Madrid they go to the Puerta del Sol, they meet at the Brandenburg Gate .

Brandenburg-Berlin

Halloween

It arrived in Germany about 15 years ago and is celebrated as in other parts of the world, with children dressed up and saying “ Süßes oder Saures? " (Trick or Treating?). A good plan is to go to Frankenstein Castle , which is about 45 kilometers from Frankfurt.

Birthday

The most exceptional thing happens when you turn 30 and you are single. In that case, you have to go to pass the broom through the stairs of the town hall to make it gleaming. All this while friends do not stop dumping garbage until a girl kisses the birthday boy, who only then can stop sweeping.

Clothing

There are many garments, since in each region one type of dress or suit is popular. One of the most famous is the Dirndl that is seen from the south, while in the areas closest to the Alps it is common to see men with the Lederhose , which is a leather pants with suspenders that you can see in the image that shown below.

lederhose

Business

When it comes to doing business, they do not address people by first name, but use their last name or title as a sign of respect . The most curious thing of all is what happens when a meeting ends in which everything has gone very well, since instead of clapping they use the knuckles of their hands to hit the table where they have met.

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