1. Major holidays in Germany

2.  This PowerPoint will help you understand different holidays in Germany and why they are important.

3.  Probably the biggest holiday in Germany.  The tradition of Christmas trees started in Germany.  There are dozens of Christmas foods.  The song “Silent Night” was originally German.

4.  A 16 day festival held in Bayern, Germany.  About 7 million liters of beer are drunken in Bayern during the 16 day festival.  Only beer that is at least 6% alcohol content and is brewed within the city limits of Munich is allowed to be used during Oktoberfest.  Oktoberfest is the largest People’s fair in the world.

5.  Also known as “Tag der Deutschen Einheit.”  This is the holiday celebrating the reunification of Germany after the fall of the USSR.  The celebrations are held every year in the capital of the German state currently presiding over the Bundesrat.

6.  The common greeting during Easter in Germany is Frohe Ostern!  It is common to colorfully paint hollowed out eggs (buntbemalten Ei).  The Easter bunny is called Osterhase.

7.  German Lutherans were the first to create Advent calendars.  The first calendar was handmade in 1851.  The first printed calendar was made in 1902.  Germany started the tradition and continued it until it became a worldwide phenomenon.