Winter in Germany is famous for beautiful Christmas markets, fluffy white snow and magical fairy tales. There are a few lesser-known traditions and quirky facts that make Germany a fascinating destination to discover in the winter months.

Dinner for One

 Every year on New Year's Eve Germans watch a short British cabaret sketch from the 1920s called 'Dinner for One'. Although most people from Britain have never even heard of it, it's one of the most famous shows in Germany!

Nikolaus and his sidekick

On the night of 5th December, German children leave their shoes outside the front door. Nikolaus (St. Nicolas) visits and fills them with chocolates, oranges and nuts. He has a sidekick, Knecht Ruprect, who leaves bundles of twigs for children who have been naughty.

Goose to go

With lots to prepare in the run up to Christmas Day, many German households leave the cooking to the experts. Maritim Hotels are inundated with requests to prepare the typical Christmas Day meat, goose, ahead of the festivities. As a difficult meat to cook correctly, Christmas Day sees hundreds of German families collecting their perfectly prepared poultry from Maritim Hotels all over Germany.

The Secret Room

In some homes, one room is locked before Christmas and decorated. On Christmas Eve children are woken up at midnight and taken to the room where the tree is lit up and presents are piled up beneath.

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More about Maritim Hotel offering a fantastic weekend Festive Package in Dresden from as little as 230 per person to coincide with the season the historic city is brought to life with its beautiful Christmas markets.

Located on the river Elbe, Maritim Hotels Dresden is 10 minutes walk from the city centre which hosts the Striezelmarkt, one of the oldest Christmas markets in Dresden offering spiced mulled wine, Christmas carols and seductively aromatic delicacies.

Dresden hosts two further Christmas markets which are both well worth a visit; the medieval Christmas market at the Residenzschloss castle and a Biedermeier-style Christmas market on Neumarkt which offers plenty of gift ideas.

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In addition to 37 hotels in Germany, Maritim Hotels has 14 hotels around the world in locations as diverse as Mauritius, China, Egypt, Spain, Turkey, Latvia and Malta and is the market leader in conferences and events - famous for its philosophy of 'meetings and accommodation under one roof.'

What are your memories of a German Christmas?