A Touch of German Christmas

Dired Oranges with Clover

Looking for Christmas crafting ideas — or inspiration for Christmas-themed family photo shoots? This list brings a touch of German tradition to your Australian Christmas.

Around this time every year, I get quite homesick. Christmas has always been when my family comes together, yet most of mine — my parents, siblings, nieces and nephews — are in Germany. Naturally, I miss them more than at any other time of the year.

On top of that, Christmas in Australia feels far removed from the traditions I grew up with. That Christmassy Vorfreude — the joyful anticipation — never quite sinks in for me here. To soften the homesickness, nurture the magic of the season, and pass on to my kids what I loved most as a child, I try to keep a few of our traditions alive.

Back home, December is freezing. We spend long days indoors, and generations of parents have perfected the art of keeping kids entertained with crafting, baking and decorating. None of this is elaborate. These are everyday activities in German households — simple, inexpensive, and genuinely joyful.

Ironically, thanks to the heat, we also spend plenty of time inside here in Australia. So here is my list of easy Christmas crafting ideas that bring a touch of Germany into our home.

Christmas Crafting Ideas for Kids (and Nostalgic Adults)

1. Dried Oranges

As a kid, I loved helping my mum prepare dried oranges for the tree. She would slice an orange, stud it with cloves, place it on baking paper and let it dry on the radiator. Once dried, it joined our tree decorations.

Here in Australia, leaving food out isn’t ideal, so I dry the slices in the oven at the lowest temperature for a few hours. They shouldn’t feel moist, though they stay a little sticky. Simply thread through a piece of string and hang it on your tree.

And yes — when my daughter was just over one, she ate every dried orange off the tree.

2. Paper Stars and Snowflakes (Easy Kids' Christmas Craft)

We use simple coloured crafting paper, pre-cut into squares, to make paper stars and snowflakes. Fold the paper diagonally once or twice and let the kids cut out shapes. Snowflakes suit slightly older kids, but the process is fun for everyone.

There are plenty of visual tutorials online, and even German ones are easy to follow without knowing the language. (This is the one I used: https://www.liebl-fachmarkt.de/weihnachtsdeko-schneeflocke-rb-cms-weihnachtsdeko-schneeflocke)

3. Paper Christmas Trees (Toilet Roll Craft)

This is one of my favourite activities because it requires almost no materials. All you need is a toilet paper roll core and a pair of scissors. Draw a simple Christmas tree outline onto the roll and cut out little triangular sections along the sides. That’s it — your tree is done.

It was actually my kids’ idea to decorate them further with tiny bits of coloured paper. You could also paint them or draw on them.

4. A Make-Your-Own Christmas Tree

Growing up, choosing our Christmas tree from the local sellers was a highlight. We decorated it with shiny baubles, wooden toys, lights and sometimes real candles. Those years were marked by my dad’s anxiety about one of us knocking it over, so it didn’t happen often.

Here in Brisbane, our Queenslander living room doesn’t have aircon. I tried a potted tree, then fir twigs, then native branches — nothing coped with the heat. This year, we collected a branch, painted it and turned it into our Christmas tree. The kids loved making it, and we all love how it looks.

5. A Handmade Advent Calendar

My sister created a beautiful Advent tradition for her daughter: a hand-sewn calendar filled with tiny nativity figurines, revealed day by day.

This year my kids were finally old enough not to eat the figurines, so I bought a set and placed them into simple bags. One afternoon, we built a little stick manger inspired by my sister’s version — slightly wobbly, but full of charm. We filled it with shredded paper “hay,” and the kids take turns opening a bag each morning.

6. Advent Candles

One German tradition that truly doesn’t suit the heat — but I refuse to give up — is lighting one candle on each Advent Sunday. Last year I made a wreath; this year we just have four large candles surrounded by twigs. The kids insist on lighting the candle at every family meal, and my son is desperate to reach the second one already. It’s very sweet.

7. Christmas Baking for Kids

When we visited my family last Christmas, we baked cookies together — something I really miss. Our kitchen here isn’t air-conditioned, so I’m not brave enough to attempt it this year. But if you have a cool kitchen, please bake some for us and let your kids decorate them.

A Final Thought

This list could go on — I have plenty more ideas to share in the future. But for now, I’ll leave you with this: I’m not a super-mum doing every activity under the sun. I do these things because I genuinely love them, and because they remind me of my own childhood. They bring me joy, and I wouldn’t do any of it if it made Christmas feel more stressful.

Take inspiration only if it lights something up for you too. And if you have your own traditions, I would love to hear them.