Austria Christmas Traditions

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Austria Christmas Traditions: A Magical Celebration

Advent Wreaths

Almost every Austrian home displays an Advent wreath made of evergreen branches, decorated with four candles.

Beginning on the first Sunday of Advent, a candle is lit each week until all four glow brightly on the final Sunday. This ritual is a beloved family moment that sets the tone for the season.

Christmas Markets

Advent is the time when the famous Adventsmarkt—better known as Christkindlmarkt or Christmas Markets—open across the country.
The Christmas Markets are a highlight of Advent in Austria, offering handmade gifts, festive foods, and an atmosphere that feels like stepping into a winter wonderland.

Nearly every city, town, and village in Austria hosts its own Christmas market during Advent. In smaller villages, these charming markets often appear for just one or two weekends, making them even more special. 

The most popular Christmas Markets are in Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck. 

We highly recommend visiting the enchanting Christmas Markets on Wolfgangsee (Lake Wolfgang) in the Salzkammergut region. The three picturesque lakeside villages — St Wolfgang, St Gilgen, and Strobl — each host their own festive market, and visitors can hop between them by ferry, making for a truly magical holiday experience.

Innsbruck Christkindlmarkt  © Innsbruck Tourimus

Stille-Nacht-Kapelle-The Silent Night Chapel  © Tourismusverband-Oberndorf

Nativity Scenes

Nativity scenes, or Krippen, are another cherished Advent tradition in Austria. From small handmade sets to life-size displays, they depict the birth of Jesus with intricate detail. Visitors will find nativity figures for sale at Christmas market stalls, often carved from wood in traditional Alpine styles.

Some destinations take this tradition further:

♥  Mörbisch in Burgenland hosts the world’s largest nativity scene on the Seebühne lake stage, a spectacular 90-metre-wide light installation.

♥  Vienna’s Rathausplatz Christmas Market features a Nativity Trail with life-size displays.

♥  Wolfgangsee Strobl transforms into an enchanting Nativity Village, and in St Wolfgang, the Nativity scene with more than 70 life-size figures is scattered around the village 

Typical wooden Krippen-Nativity pieces, ypi can buy at Christmas Markets.

St Nikolaus and Krampus

On 6 December, Austrians celebrate St Nikolaus Day. The evening before, children leave shoes or boots by the door, which St Nikolaus fills with chocolates, nuts, tangerines, or gingerbread.

In Alpine regions, St Nikolaus is often accompanied by Krampus, a goat-footed, horned, fur-clad demeon figure who punishes naughty children with birch rods or carries them off in baskets.
The night of 5 December features the Krampuslauf (Krampus Run), where men in elaborate hand-carved masks and costumes parade through villages and cities such as Salzburg and Innsbruck. These noisy, fiery celebrations are unforgettable and unique Alpine Advent tradition.

Although not a Viennese tradition, Krampus and St Nicholaus may visit some Christmas Markets.

Read our Krampus Guide to learn more about this very Austrian Advent tradition.

Perchten

Closely linked and often confused with Krampus are the Perchten, who appear during the harsh nights between Christmas and Epiphany (Three Kings Day on January 6).

The Perchten drive away the evil spirits of winter with hideous faces, the rattling of chains, loud bells on the Rauhnächte at the end of the year.
It is said that the touch of the horses’ tails they carry with them brings good luck.

Perchten © Tourismus Salzburg | Breitegger Günter

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve (Heiliger Abend) is the heart of Austrian festive celebrations.
Starting at 4 p.m., shops and businesses close as families gather for dinner, reflection, and Midnight Mass (Mitternachtsmette). Nowadays, the starting time varies between 10 pm and midnight.
The service is accompanied by hymns and carols, with Stille Nacht sung in churches and homes across the country

The Christkind

You will not find Santa in Austria.
Unlike many countries where Santa Claus brings gifts, in Austria, it is the Christkind—the Christ Child—who delivers presents on Christmas Eve.
The Christkind is an angel dressed in white & gold, with white, feathery wings, a halo, and blond curls.

The Christkind brings children gifts on Christmas Eve. The Christkind (the Christ Child), is an angel dressed in white & gold with white feathery wings, a halo above its head, and blond curls. The Christkind decorates the Christmas tree, places gifts beneath it, and rings a small bell to let children know it is time to unwrap their presents.

Families often leave a window open to allow the Christkind to come into the house.

© Tourismus Salzburg

Christmas traditions in Austria offer a glimpse into a culture where faith, folklore, and family come together in meaningful ways.
From the quiet ritual of lighting Advent candles to the excitement of Krampus runs and the angelic Christkind, the season is full of customs that remain deeply rooted in Austrian life.
For travellers, experiencing these traditions first-hand adds unforgettable magic to any winter journey through Austria.

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