How I learned to love the German winter

A time for reflection and introspection - a cultural “reset".

Cold. Dark. Wet.

I remember my first winter here in Frankfurt.

I was very disappointed because we didn’t get any snow.

I thought finally. I’m in Germany where snow is guaranteed every year.

What they don’t tell you is that Germany is a big country with a lot of regional variation.

If I really want snow then I usually have to travel.

In fact there is a small mountain range close to Frankfurt called the Taunus which does get snow in the winter.

Access is often closed there, not because of the snow but because of the thousands of people from the city desperate to get a glimpse of it.

One of the biggest reasons for people to leave Germany is the weather.

Those long dark cold depressing winters.

It might be something you yourself dread.

But I have learned to love the German winters and that’s what I want to share with you today.

Winter in FFM

Having Grown up in the UK, I’m no stranger to long, dark, and damp winters.

The British winter can feel relentless.

Grey skies, incessant rain, and a general lack of daylight can make things start to feel oppressive.

You might think Germany is basically the same or you might think that Germany is much much colder. However it’s a big country meaning there is a much greater range of winter experiences.

In the northern regions like Hamburg or Bremen, winters tend to be milder but often wetter.

The proximity to the North Sea means the cold is accompanied by persistent drizzle and a damp chill that seems to creep into your bones.

I would say this is pretty similar to the British kind of winter. Objectively it can be milder but there’s something about the dampness that really gets to you.

I think it’s this kind of weather that merits the term “bone chillingly cold”. Obviously it makes no sense but it describes the sentiment pretty well.

In other parts of Germany, it gets objectively colder — much colder.

In the Bavarian Alps or parts of Baden-Württemberg, winters can be brutally cold, with deep snowfall, icy winds, and temperatures that often dip well below freezing for long stretches of time.

The landscape here is far more dramatic in winter, with snow-covered mountains, frozen lakes, and clear, crisp days.

Once again the Bavarians seem to have spread a stereotype for the whole of Germany.

“Winter Reifenwechsel”

Something that illustrates a key difference between the German winter and that of the UK are “car tyres”.

A topic of conversation that you will always hear in Germany is Winter Reifenwechsel.

In Germany you are legally required to change your car tyres. If you don’t then you could face hefty fines.

There’s no strict rule about when to get your tyres changed exactly but many people follow the O-O rule - Oktober to Ostern or Easter.

And just because you are a tourist doesn't make you special.

If you drive to Germany from the UK without winter tyres you will face the same fines as any other Germans.

Also if you have an accident the insurance is unlikely to pay if you haven’t switched tyres.

You can get something which are called “Ganzjahresreifen” meaning tyres for the whole year, but this has its disadvantages as well.

This is not something which is required in the UK because we rarely have significant snow or icy conditions.

So why do I love the long dark cold winter?

I’m going to get into how I learned to love the German winter in just a minute but I have to acknowledge the fact that many people struggle with it.

It is not to be underestimated. I didn’t realise until after living here for some time that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is something many people in Germany struggle with.

In fact, Germany is known to have one of the highest rates of SAD in Europe.

Given the long periods of grey, cloudy skies, and the lack of daylight, it’s easy to see why this would be a common issue.

It’s one of the reasons why some people end up leaving the country for good and also why you will meet a lot of sun starved Germans on the canary islands.

The lack of sunlight can result in lower serotonin levels, which directly affects mood and energy levels.

It's more of an emotional greyness, rather than a physical coldness.

But there are so many reasons to embrace and enjoy the winter here.

It’s a season to look forward to

In the south there’s the winter culture around mountain sports followed by the ski apre.

Snow and mountains just add a certain something that you don’t really get in the UK.

In fact in the south of Germany and also Austria and Switzerland many people go on what are known as “winter wellness holidays.”

Instead of checking into a beach hotel somewhere in the Bahamas there’s a strong culture of checking into a spa hotel in the mountains.

The snow, the mountains a crackling fire and a hot drink really help to slow things down. The mountains bring  a certain sense of peace and serenity that you just don’t get on a summer beach holiday.

In the north there’s something wild and freeing about a cold winter wind. For example the North Sea islands like Sylt are popular in winter as well as summer.

People go there to get back to nature - long beach walks, bird watching, fresh air and of course all done with a good "Friesennerz" (a classic yellow rain jacket).

Of course I can’t talk about the German winter without mentioning the Christmas markets.

Glühwein. Aachen. Printen

In fact the run up to Christmas is one of the most sociable times of the year here with people meeting at the Christmas market after work.

The lights, the music, the smells the cold, all of this adds a certain something.

In a weird way this has become one of Germany’s largest cultural exports.

No matter where you are in the northern hemisphere you’ve probably seen Christmas markets in your local town or city by now.

It’s kind of hilarious that they are all over the UK. That definitely was not the case when I was growing up there.

I visited the Frankfurt Birmingham Christmas market a couple of years ago which is the oldest and largest in the UK and I have to say it did seem quite authentic…right down to the cups which I know from Frankfurt.

Other than the Christmas markets Germans don’t really do Christmas lights or other kind of decorations.

If you’re coming from the UK or US you might find the cities kind of dark and dreary.

That’s because the festive hyper commercialism hasn’t penetrated here.

The run up to Christmas and winter in general is a time to turn inward.

It’s a time to slow down and time for contemplation and to focus on Gemütlichkeit.

It's almost as if the weather encourages a kind of inward turn, where people focus more on internal pleasures — not necessarily in a melancholic way, but as a way to adapt to the seasonal rhythm.

In many ways it is a season for self-care. People engage in activities like baking, or movie nights.

After a few winters in Germany, I’ve come to appreciate some things I never would have considered before.

Winter here feels like a season of quiet connection.

The cold and darkness push people indoors, or into the Christmas markets making socialising more intentional.

Whether it’s sharing a pot of soup with friends, or spending an afternoon baking cookies for the Christmas season this helped me see that winter is not something to “endure,” but something to embrace and celebrate.

It’s more than just cold weather. It’s a time for reflection and introspection, almost like a cultural “reset”.

Germans call this “Winterruhe”, or winter rest, where people focus on what’s truly important to them.

Whether you’re in a bustling city like Berlin, or in the quieter, snow-capped regions of Bavaria, the rhythm of winter in Germany has a way of bringing out both a sense of introspection and a deep appreciation for the simple joys of life.

In the end, I realised that winter doesn’t have to be something you just “get through” — it’s an opportunity to slow down, recalibrate, and connect with the world around you in new, meaningful ways.

And for me, at least, it is a season that I couldn’t do without.

I hope you can find joy in this season as well.

All the best,

Benjamin.