Autumn and Winter Festivals in Austria & Germany: A Cultural Guide for German Learners
“There is a tradition called Oktoberfest. So that’s “October festival,” and it’s a huge festival where people drink beer, and they eat traditional foods. Most people dress in the traditional clothes, or a modern version of the traditional clothes. So, the female version of the traditional clothes is called, ‘das Dirndl.’ It’s a nice dress, and it’s also the name for girl in many regional areas.”— Susi Blümel, Better German Podcast Episode 13
Holidays shape a people’s culture, and it’s no different for Austrians and Germans. It’s also a great chance for curious German beginner learners to boost their language skills while getting closer to the culture. In this episode of the Better German Podcast, I take you on a festive journey from September through November, exploring unique traditions, holidays, and cultural insights you won’t find in a textbook.
Let’s take a look…
Why Festivals and Holidays Make Great German Lessons
Language isn’t built only on grammar and vocabulary; it lives in traditions, celebrations, and everyday moments. Festivals like harvest season, carnival (Fasching), and Christmas reveal how people think, speak, and connect.
Talking about festivals is also a great conversation starter — and an enjoyable way to practice your German naturally!
Here’s Why!
🌃Surprising Holiday Traditions in Austria & Germany
Did you know that Austria and Germany don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but have rich traditions like October’s harvest festivals and lively autumn/winter “Fasching” (carnival) season? I share my personal anecdotes about how Austrians spend the Austrian National Holiday (26th October), and why Halloween is still a relatively new import, making this insight especially useful if you’re planning a visit or a chat with locals.
📚Festivals Are German Vocabulary Goldmines
There are holidays like “Erntedank” (harvest festival) and “Martinstag” (St. Martin’s Day). These are terms you’re unlikely to learn from a standard textbook, but they’re essential for understanding seasonal conversations and signage! Toward the end of the episode, I give you a word list with nouns related to autumn and winter festivities, perfect for expanding your vocabulary in context.
🎧Listen Now?
This article is just a taste of what’s inside the full episode.
👉 Listen to Episode 13: Autumn and Winter Holidays in Austria & Germany. It’s culture, language, and storytelling — all wrapped into one cozy episode✨
And don’t forget—more resources, including guides and downloads, are available inside the Better German Community. If you want to connect with fellow learners and get access to helpful goodies, it’s a great place to start your cultural adventure!
Related Episodes🎧
Episode 14 – Introduction to Watching Movies to Learn German
Episode 16 – Festivals and Holidays in Austria in Winter Part 2
Episode 21 – Differences between Austrian and German German
Episode 31 – The Sound of Music
Episode 34 – Words for Travelling in Austria or Germany
Episode 41 – 41 When Gift Means Poison: Surprising German-English False Friends
You May Also Like🎧
Episode 11 – The 7 Best Tips to Learn German
Episode 32 – Uncommon German Words: gerne, gell & More
Additional Resources💎
- Get the free PDF guide for this episode in the Better German Community. You’ll find other resources there, too!
- Grab our Interactive Movie Guide. Watching German movies and TV shows is great to help you learn German. In this guide, you will find suitable TV shows and movies with subtitles in your language, so you can start using movies to learn right away!
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