Dos and don'ts when celebrating a birthday in Germany | DW English

It happens every single year.

Your birthday.

And if it's not your birthday, chances are

you know someone who's having one soon.

Maybe even today.

In Germany, birthdays aren't

just an occasion to celebrate.

They also make it easy

to commit a faux pas.

So here are a few birthday Dos and

Don'ts that I've learned in Germany.

A birthday wouldn't be a birthday

without birthday wishes, right?

But how do Germans wish

each other happy birthday?

We asked a few.

Ja, herzlichen Glückwunsch und wie sich

das alles so gehört wünsche

ihm viel Gesundheit.

Entweder sage ich herzlichen

Glückwunsch oder alles Liebe.

Alles Gute.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch, alles Gute.

Unterschiedlich.

Alles Liebe, herzlichen

Glückwunsch, Happy Birthday!

Whether you say Herzlichen Glückwunsch

oder Alles Gute, is up to you.

Just don't ever say it before

someone's actual birthday.

Believe me, I made this mistake many times

during my early years in Germany

and got lots of strange looks.

But what's so bad about wishing

someone a happy birthday too early?

Meine Oma hat immer gesagt, dass

man dann blaue Kinder bekommt.

Ich glaube, das soll Unglück bringen.

Das ist nicht schlimm.

Ich glaube, wenn

man sich entschuldigt, dann ist das okay.

Soll Unglück bringen,

Aber ich glaube nicht wirklich daran.

I hope you like to bake

because it's customary in Germany to

bring treats to work on your birthday.

But if you really don't have time to bake

or can't, you are allowed to buy

something from the bakery instead.

If you have lots of coworkers, all those

birthdays can really go to your hips.

Meeting up with friends to

celebrate your birthday.

Don't expect them to foot the bill.

Nope.

Being the birthday boy or girl means you

also get to enjoy the gift of giving.

So bring your wallet or it could get

awkward when the waiter brings the check.

Many people in Germany celebrate their

birthday the evening before their birthday

so that they can have a toast at midnight.

That's called Reinfeiern, which

literally means to party in.

And midnight isn't just

the time for champagne.

It's also the first moment that Germans

are finally allowed to wish

each other happy birthday.

I always thought it was a bit strange,

that Germans are willing to spend their

actual birthday with a hangover, though.

So we asked a few what's

so great about Reinfeiern.

Weiß nicht, dann wird gratuliert, wenn

die Partys schon richtig am Laufen ist.

Also Eigentlich ist Reinfeiern nur gut, wenn

man an einem Sonntag zum

Beispiel Geburtstag hat.

Also nur wenn es nicht anders geht.

Eigentlich gar nichts, wenn man wach

bleiben muss und ich

werde Abends früh müde.

man quasi mit erlebt,

wenn man dann älter wird.

Sonst, verschläft man das immer.

Birthdays are always lots of fun,

especially when you follow

the rules and avoid full pause.

Of course, I'm not going to say happy

birthday yet, but I do hope

your next one is great.

Share this video with anyone you

know who has a birthday coming up.

Thanks for tuning in to meet the Germans,

and see you next time..