First Sunday of Advent

What the first Sunday of Advent 2027 is

The first Sunday of Advent opens the Advent season and is the informal kickoff of the Christmas market season in Germany. In 2027 it falls on 28 November, one day earlier in the month than in 2026 and a week earlier in the weekly rhythm of the calendar year.

It is not a statutory holiday. Our data lists the entry as rule-based, so the date is derived from the calendar and not announced by an organiser.

How the date is set

Count back four Sundays from Christmas. In 2027, 25 December is a Saturday, which means 24 December is a Friday and the fourth Advent Sunday is 19 December. That puts the first Advent on 28 November.

The calendar rule is stable, but individual markets still decide their own opening days. Many open in the week before, some on the Friday before, and a few only on the first Advent weekend itself, so always check each market.

Tradition and character

The Advent wreath, with its first candle, is the household symbol of the day. Churches hold Advent services, and children's choirs and brass bands often play at market openings.

Because the first Sunday arrives early in 2027, the Advent season is longer than in a year when it falls on 1 or 2 December. That gives the season a full four weeks of weekends before Christmas.

What to do and eat

A visit to a Christmas market, a walk through a lit-up old town and a hot drink are the classic ways to spend the day. Cooking and baking at home with the first candle lit is the quieter alternative.

Typical seasonal foods are gingerbread, Stollen, roasted nuts and mulled wine. For children, a visit to a market carousel or a stand with sweets is usually the highlight.

Getting around and where to stay

Travel is busy on Advent weekends, especially toward the large market cities and their stations. Book long-distance trains early and consider off-peak hours for the return journey.

Hotels in the best-known market cities fill quickly. Because the 2027 weekend arrives early, accommodation planning has to start in late summer or early autumn for popular destinations.

Public holidays, bridge days and your vacation budget

The first Advent is on a Sunday, so it needs no vacation day. Totensonntag, the day before, is 21 November, and Buß- und Bettag on Wednesday 17 November is a public holiday only in Saxony. The second Advent on 5 December precedes St Nicholas Day, which is Monday 6 December 2027.

A trip from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 November costs one vacation day. Christmas Eve 2027 is a Friday, 25 December is a Saturday and 26 December is a Sunday, so neither Christmas holiday gives you an extra weekday off. For the Advent period this means no bridge days, so the vacation days you plan are the ones you actually use.

Tips and who it suits

This date suits anyone planning a Christmas market trip far in advance, such as families or groups booking early. The long Advent in 2027 spreads demand over more weekends, which can make less obvious dates cheaper.

Treat the 28 November date as a reliable calendar anchor, not a market opening announcement. Confirm each market's own dates with its organiser once they publish them.

Since the first Advent comes on 28 November in 2027, the Advent season has four full weekends: 27 to 28 November, 4 to 5 December, 11 to 12 December and 18 to 19 December. That is a useful planning tool, because you can spread visits across weekends instead of squeezing them into one. Weekdays in the first two weeks of December are usually the best compromise for people with flexible schedules. If you travel, note that the weekend before Christmas Eve, a Friday, will be especially busy, as many people start their holiday travel then.