What makes a good Christmas gift from Germany?

When Katharina visits her extended family in Peru for Christmas, her uncles, aunts and cousins give her their Christmas wish lists well before she leaves her home in Bonn.

There's one German item in particular that's always high on their list: Haribo candies. "My family writes to my father to tell him which Haribo varieties they want, because they either don't have them in Peru at all or they're very expensive," she explains.

That's why Katharina and her father go to the factory outlet in Bonn before their trip to stock up for the journey. "It often feels like half the suitcase is full," she admits. Nonetheless, Katharina and her father know the sweets are sure to bring plenty of Christmas joy.

For many people, Christmas is associated with going home. As a holiday typically associated with the celebration of family, when loved ones live far away, the pre-Christmas period becomes a time to travel.

While travelers with families in Germany only have to travel a few cities further, others have to travel much further to see their friends, parents and siblings. Around 21.2 million people with migrant backgrounds live in Germany.

Traditional German gifts?

Once a trip home has been booked, bringing back a souvenir from Germany is often essential. But what kinds of items are the most popular?

The German National Tourist Board offers various suggestions, like marzipan from the northern city of Lübeck. Another one is Stollen — bread with nuts, spices, and dried or candied fruit from Dresden. And then there's the famous Lebkuchen, Germany's gingerbread, from Nuremberg. The layered cake, Baumkuchen, and the so-called Bethmännchen, a pastry made from marzipan from Frankfurt, are also typical German specialties that make great sweet treats.

But not every German present has to be edible. Germany has many popular decorative items such as traditional wooden nutcrackers or glass ornaments from the Ore Mountain region of Saxony. Artisans in the region also carve handmade incense smokers which are often modeled after the Weihnachtsmann, aka Father Christmas, or as miners, craftsmen, foresters and other local townsfolk of the Ore Mountain region. Incense is placed inside the small wooden figurines which then flows through a hole in its mouth. The holders symbolize the gift of incense the three kings brought to Jesus in the the biblical story of Christmas.

A popular German concept

Did you know that the Advent calendar is a German invention?

The person credited with inventing the printed Advent calendar in the early 20th century is German publisher Gerhard Lang, who was said to be inspired by his mom sewing 24 cookies into the lid of a box and letting him eat one each day of Advent.

Since then, the tradition has become popular around the world with Advent calendars being mass produced. As Christmas has become an increasingly commercial celebration, Advent calendars have adapted to hold anything from jewelry and cosmetics to beer. Advent calendars are popular all over the globe, including in the US.

Clemence is originally from France, but works as a soprano in Germany. When she visits her family during Christmas, she likes to bring Stollen, gingerbread spices or cookie cutters. "Sometimes beer too!" she laughs. It may not be the most Christmassy of drinks, but it is certainly a German specialty.

For Andrea, whose parents live in Portugal, Christmas tree decorations and traditional wooden toys are a must when picking out gifts to take home.

"My girlfriend's family comes from Spain," says Alexander from Düsseldorf. "I made a small package of Santas for them. There was also an Advent calendar. Both were very well received."

Christmas market inspiration

Germany's many Christmas markets are ideal places to shop for holiday goods. With sometimes hundreds of vendors selling handmade crafts and artisanal gifts, there's a lot to choose from.

Even the mugs serving the typical mulled wine, Glühwein, make great souvenirs. Each market has unique mugs printed for each annual edition of the festival, often with Christmas-themed images.

Cecilia, originally from Korea, likes to bring back Christmas market mugs when she visits her family back home. German-style Christmas markets have now also found their way into global metropolises like London, New York City and Singapore. 

Germany may be the origin of many Christmas traditions, but a good gift doesn't always have to be traditional. When German-resident Sara visits her family in Croatia on Christmas Eve, she always has one thing in her suitcase: "Aperol from the airport or an XXL pack of Kinder chocolate. For me, the ultimate symbol of the West."

This article was originally published in German.

Update: The family names of all people interviewed for this piece were removed on December 17 after initial publication, following their own wish.