Christmas in Austria

Some things about Christmas are the same everywhere: Enjoying the first snow, experiencing nature on winter walks, or writing a Christmas wishlist.

But some things are different in Austria: For instance, did you know that here, it’s not Father Christmas or Santa Claus who brings the presents – it’s the “Christkind” (the Christ Child, Baby Jesus). It comes in the form of an angel, with white feathery wings, a halo above its head, and blond curls.

The presents are not opened on 25 December, but rather on Christmas Eve.

And how do you make sure the Christkind gets it right? In some regions in Austria, children toss their Christmas letter into the fireplace to make their Christmas wishes come true. In others, they put their letters on the window sill, so that the Christkind can collect them.

Every year from 24 December to 2 February (Candlemas Day), farmers and nativity scene carvers in SalzburgerLand open their doors to the public, presenting their artistically-made family cribs. It is also tradition to lovingly make and continuously build “community nativity scenes”.

In these local nativity scenes, the biblical story of the birth of Christ is embedded in regional surroundings. The tradition of handmade cribs and their private exhibition in the Salzkammergut region originated with a 1782 ordinance by Emperor Joseph II banning churches from setting up their – often very ornate – nativity scenes. The new rule encouraged skilled craftsmen to build their own ones and display them at their homes instead. This, in turn, led to the development of elaborate “landscape nativity scenes” – very large and intricate scenes.

The Twelve Days of Christmas are known as the “Rauhnächte in Austria,” a time of mystical traditions. These are the nights between Christmas and January 6, although the exact number of days varies from region to region. In some areas, “Losen” already starts on the longest night of the year, the Thomasnacht from the 20^th to the 21^st of December. 

“Losen” has its roots in the dialect word for “listening.” Tradition says that by listening closely, you can learn about your fate for the coming year. Some people meet at remote crossroads to listen. It is not easy to interpret the various sounds: If you suddenly hear happy singing, a wedding is in the cards. The sound of a saw, on the other hand, is said to predict a death in the near future.

Blossoming Branches

On 4 December (Saint Barbara’s Feast Day) cherry branches are plucked and laid in water. If the blossoms open up before 24 December, luck and fertility are said to be on the way.

Kissing under the Mistletoe

One of the most beautiful heathen traditions is hanging up a mistletoe branch in a door frame or from the ceiling. The mistletoe was not only a basic ingredient for the magic brew in the Asterix comic strips, but in German mythology, it was also a symbol of luck. Kissing under a mistletoe is said to bring luck for a happy future together.