Popular German Birthday Traditions
Birthdays are an important celebration in Germany, celebrated with family and friends and marked with an array of traditional customs. Here is a look at some of the most popular German birthday traditions.
Preparing the Room
Before the celebration can begin, the room must be prepared. This typically includes:
• Decorating the Room: In Germany, it is customary to hang streamers, balloons and colorful decorations in the room.
• Backing the Room with one of Three Flowers: In some regions, a tradition is to hang a wreath of daisies, a pink and white rue or a white bellflower, whichever happens to be in bloom.
• Placing a Tablecloth: A festive tablecloth is often spread on the table for colorful effect.
• Decorating the Table: Some German birthday traditions involve placing a bouquet of white lilies in the centre of the table and a lit candle for every year the person is turning.
Gifts and Good Wishes
Gifts are typically given, starting with the birthday person (usually first) receiving their present. Good wishes often come in the form of a poem written by family or friends. Before the birthday person opens their gifts, attendees will often join in singing the Happy Birthday song.
Party Tradition
The “Tischmützen” game is a popular party tradition where the birthday person must wear a special hat as they sit and open their gifts. Everyone takes turns picking a symbol out of the hat, predicting what the recipient will receive in their gift.
Food, Drinks and Cake
German birthday feasts usually consist of several courses, starting with soup or a few appetizers. Following this comes a main course, usually grilled sausages and pork, served with sides such as potato salad or potato pancakes. This is usually followed by a dessert and coffee.
Of course, no German birthday party would be complete without a cake. Common cakes for birthdays include Streuselkuchen, Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, or a large sheet cake covered in a rich jelly cream. This is usually served with candles for the birthday person to blow out.
The Birthday Toast
At German birthdays, a special toast is required before everyone can dig in. This is often done by proposing a heartfelt toast to the birthday person and wishing them endless joy, luck and love.
Giving a Gift to the Host
It is customary to give a gift to the host of the birthday party. This is normally not the birthday person, but a family member or close friend of the birthday person. Typical gifts could include a freshly baked loaf of bread, homemade cookies, or a bottle of wine.
A Special Gift for the Birthday Person
German birthdays are not complete without a special gift. Some popular special gifts include a nice piece of jewelry, a book, a bouquet of flowers, or something to do with the hobby of the person.
German birthdays are full of traditional customs and celebrations that derive from many centuries of celebrating. Whether the birthday is small and intimate, or large and boisterous, paying attention to these traditions will ensure a special day for the birthday person.
