Heiligabend is 24th December, known in English as Christmas Eve.
On this day most businesses and shops close around lunchtime and people start to prepare for the evening.
Many families still decorate their Christmas trees in the afternoon. Traditionally the children are not allowed in the room when this happens. Then the Christkind comes before the children return and brings the Christmas presents.
The main Christmas meal is eaten later in the evening with many families going to Church beforehand.
To hear a simple explanation and a short discussion in German, listen to the podcast:
(Press the “play” button to listen to the podcast)
[…] for new foreign residents to Germany is to find closed supermarket doors on the afternoons of Heiligabend (Christmas Eve), Dec 24th, and Silvester, Dec […]