Barbara Geier: From fairy tales to festive favourites

TEXT & PHOTOS: BARBARA GEIER

What are you doing for Christmas? Maybe (probably?) the same as about 78 per cent of Germans who settle down deep into their sofas to watch Christmas movies. You might even enjoy some of the same films according to a YouGov survey, which revealed Germany’s favourite Christmas movies.

According to that poll from December 2024, the most popular of the 18 films surveyed is Home Alone: for 24 per cent of the respondents this 1990 classic is their favourite Christmas movie. So far, so relatable for the English-speaking world. However, the runner-up with 22 per cent of the votes should be more of a mystery because Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel – known in English as Three Wishes for Cinderella – is a typical German TV happening during the festive season.

Based on the famous fairy tale, the 1973 film was a co-production between the Czech Barrandov Studios and DEFA, the state-owned film studio of the then German Democratic Republic. Personally, I was never drawn to it and have never watched it. Probably shocking for the many Germans who tune in each year – a quick google search revealed that between 22 December 2024 and 6 January 2025, the film was on 14 (!) times on as many different German channels. Random piece of information: one of the original film locations was Moritzburg Castle, not too far from Dresden, and the picturesque Baroque palace indeed comes with very suitable fairy-tale vibes.

Moving on to the third most popular German Christmas movie, which is a British production: 18 per cent named Little Lord Fauntleroy – or Der kleine Lord in German – with Alec Guinness as their go-to festive TV treat. At number four follows another classic German choice with 11 per cent of the votes: Sissi, which turned a very young Romy Schneider into a superstar, is the first part of a trilogy that tells the (ultimately tragic) story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, who was known as Sissi. All three romantic tearjerkers are usually aired on 25 and 26 December, and for many Germans, Christmas without these oldies from the 1950s is not Christmas. The last one in the top five is a very different story: ten per cent of respondents named the US fantasy comedy The Santa Clause from 1994 as their favourite Christmas movie.

The YouGov survey also revealed that, overall, women in Germany are fonder of Christmas films than the men, with 20 per cent of male Germans saying they don’t watch such movies at all in comparison of 15 per cent of females. Unsurprisingly, there is also quite an age divide. Younger Germans in particular seem to love Home Alone as 35 per cent of respondents in the 18 to 24-year-old age group named it as their favourite for Christmas. However, if you’re 55 and older in Germany, chances are you’re more partial to nostalgic Christmas moments with Three Wishes for Cinderella or Little Lord Fauntleroy.

And how does the ultimate UK Christmas film Love Actually fare with a German audience? With six per cent, it’s placed just outside the Top 10 at number eleven in the ranking of the country’s favourite festive blockbusters. And on that note, all that’s left for me to say is enjoy the festive season – and your go-to Christmas movie.

Barbara Geier is a London-based freelance writer, translator and communications consultant. She is also the face behind www.germanyiswunderbar.com, a German travel and tourism guide and blog that was set up together with UK travel writer Andrew Eames in 2010.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Discover Germany, Switzerland & Austria.

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