Christmas and New Year's Eve in Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is also an ideal vacation destination during Advent and New Year's Eve. Whether traditional customs, Christmas markets on the North Sea and Baltic Sea, hyggelige moments or special events in the inland regions. Let us inspire you.
Christmas markets against a historic backdrop, such as in Husum, Friedrichstadt or Lübeck, make Advent in Schleswig-Holstein very special. Whether it's arts and crafts markets on old estates or fresh sea air on the North Sea and Baltic Sea, mingling with the scent of cookies and mulled wine. In Schleswig-Holstein, no one can escape the magic of Advent .
Even after Christmas, things don't get boring in Schleswig-Holstein. Discover our New Year's Eve highlights in the vacation regions, experience North German New Year traditions and start the new year with a fresh breeze around your nose.
- Friedrichstadt: Schleswig-Holstein's Little Amsterdam gets Christmassy and cozy on the first weekend of Advent. Between shining gabled houses and glittering canals Friedrichstadtthe Christmas season is ushered in.
- Husum: Festively decorated between the impressive house fronts and with a maritime flair, the Husum Christmas market on the market square welcomes its guests. The "Christmas town on the North Sea" offers a varied program with concerts and a visit to the "Husum Christmas House".
- Sylt: The island Sylt offers many opportunities to get into the Christmas spirit with hot chocolate and mulled wine. Find inspiration for your Christmas presents in the Keitum barn or purchase lovingly made Christmas decorations for your own home from the Morsum Christmas market.
- Tönning: Experience the historic packing house at Tönning harbor. Christmas event with handicrafts, a petting zoo and Christmas carols. The packing house is a large Advent calendar - the windows and doors are marked with numbers from 1 to 24. Hidden behind them are new program items for the whole family to discover every day.
- St. Peter-Ording : The Christmas market opens its doors behind the historic island in the village. You can look forward to curling rinks, a children's cinema, a carousel, Christmas delicacies and Santa Claus.
- Heide : The Heide Winter World delights visitors with warm food, mulled wine and a large ice rink(LIKE-Ice plastic rink).
- Stocksee: At the Stockseehof Estate around 120 exhibitors offer thousands of gift ideas and everything you need to look forward to Christmas in the warm Christmas market barn, the large Christmas tent and on the estate.
- Pronstorf: The Pronstorf Christmas market on the historic Pronstorf estate offers arts and crafts, twinkling lights and a baroque Advent calendar manor house. On five Advent weekends, visitors can enjoy an atmospheric atmosphere and cozy time-outs.
- Mölln: When the temperatures drop, the decorated old town will once again be festively cozy this year. The large, festively decorated Christmas tree in the middle of the old market square puts visitors to the Mölln Christmas market the festive season. The last presents can be bought at the stalls and Christmas treats can be sampled. In the warm music hut, you can sing along to your heart's content during the live program.
- Basthorst: The Christmas market at Basthorst Estate is an annual delight with around 250 exhibitors, a varied program over five weekends and numerous culinary specialties - one of the most beautiful and largest Christmas markets in northern Germany.
- Lauenburg: The Lauenburg Christmas market at the castle starts in a dreamlike setting directly on the illuminated Lauenburg castle square on the 2nd weekend in Advent. Visitors can enjoy classic Christmas market delicacies with a fantastic view of the Elbe.
- Kiel: In Kiel, you can experience the magic of Christmas at several Christmas markets within walking distance of each other. Christmas markets. You can start your winter Christmas stroll at the festively decorated traditional market on Holstenplatz. Asmus-Bremer-Platz and the Old Town are the perfect places to nibble on a sweet treat. The cozy Christmas village on Kiel's town hall square attracts visitors from near and far with its airy tightrope act.
- Lübeck: Visit the famous Lübeck Christmas markets and experience the magic of Christmas in the atmospheric old town. The Hanseatic city invites you to stroll through traditional and historic Christmas markets - for younger guests there is the fairytale forest at St. Mary's Church and the Christmas Wonderland to discover.
- Flensburg: In the northernmost city in Germany, the Christmas market with its Scandinavian flair. It stretches from the Südermarkt through the entire pedestrian zone to the Nordermarkt. As you stroll through the alleyways and courtyards, the smell of roasted almonds and delicious baked apples fills the air.
- Eckernförde: The aroma of poffertjes and mulled wine wafts through the atmospherically illuminated Christmas market in Eckernförde. Children take a spin on the carousel and adults enjoy warming punch.
Rummelpottlaufen on New Year's Eve
Rummelpottlaufen is an old New Year's Eve custom in Schleswig-Holstein. On New Year's Eve, children dressed up in colorful costumes go from house to house singing traditional songs to win sweets or sometimes even some money. This custom has a long and lively tradition, especially on the North Sea coast and on the islands, and was originally used to drive away evil spirits.
Futjes or Förtchen
Förtchen are small balls of yeast dough fried in fat, rolled in sugar while still warm and eaten straight from the hand. The recipes for them have been passed down through generations in many families. In northern Germany, the sweet balls have established themselves as a traditional New Year's pastry . And the children also enjoy the freshly baked fritters when they go on the carnival rides early on New Year's Eve.
New Year's bathing in the sea
It's that time of year again on January 1: many brave souls venture into the ice-cold waters of the North Sea and Baltic Sea to welcome in the New Year. This invigorating ritual stands for joie de vivre, solidarity and a powerful start to January. If you want to experience that real coastal feeling , you should definitely give New Year's swimming a try. For example, on the beaches of Föhr, Büsum or Sylt.
