Customs in Germany

Germany It is one of the most advanced countries in Europe, not to say that it is the most advanced of all along with England. It is not that it is a tourist power like Spain or France, but thanks to its major cities He manages to convince hundreds of thousands of people every year, the same can be said of his most beautiful towns, some of which are truly spectacular.

If you are going to visit Germany for holidays or you are thinking of going to live there to find a job, it is good to know the customs and the traditions most deeply rooted in the country, which I will talk about in this article below.

Beer is sacred

Don't be surprised that beer costs almost the same as water. There is the National Beverage thanks to a multitude of brands such as Paulaner, which is originally from Munich. It is not uncommon to see people ordering a liter of beer for lunch or dinner.

Distance and few hugs

Germans are not like Spaniards or South Americans. They have a harder time getting closer to other people while having a conversation, while hugging is something that is rather reserved for very close family and friends. For this reason they usually greet each other by shaking hands.

Puntuality

They are not British, but they like the British punctuality. It is frowned upon for someone to arrive before or after the scheduled appointment time.

Recycling

Germans love to recycle because they are very aware. What's more, as the garbage is collected there every two weeks or so, they thoroughly wash the containers before throwing them away to avoid bad odors.

Tips

Taxi drivers and hairdressers often get good tips. In hotels and restaurants this does not happen, since they include a 10% of expense for service reflected in the invoice.

Foods

The main meal is lunch, although the breakfasts are not short. The sausages (Bratwurst), honey rolls and sausages are very common in Germany.

Festivities

The best-known festivals of this Central European country are the Cologne Carnival and the Oktoberfest, although each region celebrates its festivals.

Christmas

There, December 5 is a very important date, since it is when it reaches the houses Nikolaus, the German Santa Claus. He usually leaves candy, sweets and gifts in children's shoes. Of course, he also whips children who have not behaved well with his sack, something that in southern Germany is a thing of Krampus, the demon of Christmas.

Women

Formerly it was said that women should stick to the «3K«: Kindergarten (children), Kirche (church) and Küche (kitchen). Today, luckily, things have changed a lot and women occupy important positions in companies. In fact, Angela Merkel has been the Chancellor of Germany since 2005.

Restaurants

When you go to a restaurant you don't sit at a table with a sign with the word Stammtisch, since it is reserved for regular customers. "Bon appetit" is desired with a gutten appetit and to toast you can use Zum Wohl! or Prost!, although it is true that the latter is the most frequent when it comes to toasting with beer.

Valentine's Day

On February 14, Valentine's Day, lovers give themselves a pork which can be chocolate. It is not as rewarding as a massage or a gem, but they say it brings luck.

Marriage

Before the wedding is celebrated, the Polterabend arrives, a party that anyone can go to and where dinnerware is broken. The bride and groom must collect the pieces that are on the floor to demonstrate that they know teamwork. Something similar, and no less laborious, is the tradition of cutting a log with a double-handled saw once you are married. By doing so, they are supposed to make it clear that they are willing to overcome all kinds of difficulties like marriage.

New Years Eve and New Year

It's strange, but in Germany they usually say goodbye to the year by watching Dinner for one, a British short film describing a woman's 90th birthday. It was first broadcast in 1963, and has continued to air since then. Without going any further, more than one television channel gets on the bandwagon every December 31 to ensure a good audience share.

New Year's Eve, like many other places in the world, is celebrated with fireworks. In Berlin, just as in Madrid one goes to Puerta del Sol, they meet at the Brandenburg Gate.

Halloween

He arrived in Germany about 15 years ago and is celebrated as in other parts of the planet, with children in disguise and saying «Süßes oder Saures?" (Trick or Treating?). A good plan is to go to Frankenstein Castle, which is about 45 kilometers from Frankfurt.

birthday

The most exceptional thing happens when you are 30 years old and you are single.In that case you have to go pass the broom down the stairs of the town hall to leave it shiny. All this while friends do not stop dumping trash until a girl kisses the birthday boy, who only then can stop sweeping.

Clothing

There are many clothes, since in each region a type of dress or suit is popular. One of the most famous is the Dirndl seen from the south, while in the areas closest to the Alps it is common to see men with the Lederhose, which is a leather pants with suspenders that you can see in the image shown below.

Business

When it comes to doing business, they do not address people by name, but use the surname or title they hold as a sign of respect. The most curious of all is what happens when a meeting ends in which everything went very well, since instead of clapping they use the knuckles of their hands to hit the table where they have gathered.

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