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SOCIAL

How to prepare for Christmas like an Austrian

How to prepare for Christmas like an Austrian

Christmas is coming! And it would be very un-Austrian of you to be unprepared for the country’s most beautiful time of year.

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Bake your Christmas cookies: Two thirds of Austrians will reportedly be baking their own cookies for Christmas. The most traditional are Vanilla Kipferl, crescent-shaped cookies made with butter, ground almonds, sugar, egg yolks and flour. Some are decorated and hung on the tree. Photo: Shutterstock
Buy or make an advent wreath: Advent is the period before Christmas. The four Sundays preceding the big day are known as Advent Sunday. Austrians mark them with a wreath of four candles. On the first Sunday, one candle is burned, on the second, two, and so on. Modern advent settings are catching on, with many Austrians setting candles on platters as opposed to the traditional pine wreath.  Photo: APA
Get ready to open those doors: In addition to the four Sundays countdown, you can also get a calendar that counts down every individual day in December to Christmas Eve. Many people choose one with chocolate treats. Photo: APA/DPA
Polish your boots: December 6th is St Nicholas' Day. Hopeful children polish their boots the night before with the hopes that St Nick will visit and fill it with chocolates. St Nicholas' Day was once the day for giving presents, but Austria has since shifted its gift giving to Christmas Eve (December 24th). Photo: APA/Felix Kästle
Get ready, set, shop! Austrians plan on spending €387 on gifts this year, according to a GFK poll. Almost half of Austrians will buy gift vouchers. Books, toys, jewellery and watches round out the most popular gifts. And most people intend to buy in stores, rather than online, so brace yourself for long checkout lines. Photo: APA/Holleman
Speaking of shopping, the Christmas markets are open: Bundle up and find your nearest public square or platz, because chances are it has been transformed into a winter wonderland of lights, candied nuts, cinnamon Brezel, and mulled wine. Nothing raises seasonal spirits like a good Christmas market.Photo: djd/Kolpinghaus Wien-Zentral
Order your goose or carp: The main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve. It was traditionally Gebackener Karpfen (fried carp), this is because Christmas Eve was considered a 'fasting' day by many Catholics and no meat could be eaten. However, roast goose is becoming a popular choice nowadays. Photo: APA
Pick your tree: It's time to claim the tree under which you'll be gathering come Christmas Eve, but don't be too eager to decorate it. Traditionally, Austrian Christmas trees stay bare until December 24th.  Christmas in Austria really starts around 4pm on Christmas Eve (Heilige Abend) when the tree is lit for the first time. Photo: APA
Learn Austrian Christmas songs: At least you'll know the tune to one - the famous carol Silent Night (Stille Nacht) was written in Austria in 1818. Other popular Weihnachtslieder are O Tannenbaum and Leise rieselt der Schnee. Photo: APA
Attend a Christmas concert in a church: Enjoy the classical Christmas catalogue in the acoustics of a cathedral. They won't even kick you out if you've opted out of paying church tax. Looking ahead to 2015, don't miss the Vienna Philharmonic's traditional New Year's Concert, which is broadcast around the world to millions. Frohes Fest!Photo: APA


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