The traditions vary across Germany but I can tell you how we celebrated when I was a child:
Christmas: My parents would set up the Christmas tree on the 24th in the morning and decorate is with candles and coloured balls & ribbons. The children are not allowed then to enter the living room as they are told that the “Christkind” decorates the Christmas tree and brings the presents. In the afternoon we would go together to the church to attend the Christmas service. When it gets dark on the 24th the whole family would gather around the Christmas tree, sing some Christmas songs and then one after the other picks their presents which were placed under the tree and unpack them. This is called “Bescherung”. After this in most families there is a traditional Christmas dinner but there is no standard. In many cases it is a very simple dish and the fancy 3-course menu is rather on the 25th.
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