Christmas songs, ugly sweaters and chocolate: These are just some of the terms that many of us associate with Christmas. Just as famous as the holiday is the picture that the world has of an American Christmas, whether it be candy canes, Christmas ham and so on. Since I, myself, have come here as an exchange student, I now see it for the first time with my own eyes. Apart from the fact that it is almost exactly as I imagined it, I also like things that are completely different or similar to traditions in Germany.

One of the traditions that is different in Germany is that the main day is Dec. 24 and not the morning of the 25th. Gifts are also given in the evening. However, before you meet with the family in the evening, you usually go to church, where you usually see the whole neighborhood. This atmosphere is always wonderful and a great part of Christmas.

However, in America , Dec. 25 plays more of the main role of Christmas. Children sometimes get up quite early, sometimes even in pajamas, and run to the tree to unwrap presents. The moment when the children sit under the tree is perhaps one of the most clichéd pictures you have in your head when you think of an American Christmas.

The type of decoration also differs: houses are often decorated with fairy lights, figures, inflatable snowmen and reindeer outside. Sometimes it almost feels like you’re walking through your own world. In Germany, the decorations remain rather simple and often focus on windows, candles and traditional elements.

Another difference is the food. While in many German families potato salad with sausages or a Christmas roast are typical, in America, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and various desserts such as apple pie are often on the table. What is striking is that the American feast is very similar to Thanksgiving. I also asked a German exchange student Finn Schulze, from Ventura High School about his opinion and he agreed with me.

“One of the biggest differences I have seen is that there is no goose [people eat during]… Christmas. That’s kind of surprising for me since it’s one of the biggest meals for Christmas [in Germany].” 

Despite these differences, it is clear to me that the basic idea of Christmas remains: spend time with the family, come to rest and celebrate together. Precisely because I was able to experience both traditions, Christmas feels particularly exciting and unique to me this year.