First Sunday of Advent
- 3 December 2028
- Nationwide
Rule-based. This date is computed from a known, fixed calendar rule, not announced by anyone, but the rule itself isn't in doubt.
The first Sunday of Advent falls on 3 December in 2028, the latest possible date. As a result, the Christmas market season in many cities only begins in the last week of November.
Source: https://www.schnelle-online.info/Feiertage/1-Advent.html · Checked 2026-10-08
What the first Sunday of Advent is
The first Sunday of Advent marks the start of the Christian Advent season, the four weeks before Christmas. In Germany it is also the unofficial start of the Christmas season for most people: Advent wreaths are lit for the first time, Christmas markets are in full swing and many households begin to decorate. In the planner this is a single-day entry with nationwide scope, not tied to one city or state.
In 2028 the first Advent falls on Sunday 3 December. That is the latest date it can have, because the four Sundays of Advent are counted back from Christmas Eve and the first one can never fall later than 3 December.
How the date is worked out
The date is rule-based. The fourth Sunday of Advent is the last Sunday before 25 December, and the first Advent is three weeks earlier. In 2028 Christmas Eve is itself a Sunday, 24 December, so that day is the fourth Advent and the earlier ones are 17 December, 10 December and 3 December.
Because the rule is fixed, the date is dependable, and it is not an estimate. What is not yet known is how individual cities schedule their markets, which is why this entry is about the calendar position and not about one specific event.
Customs and character of the day
The Advent wreath, with four candles, is lit one more candle each Sunday. The custom is often traced to the Hamburg theologian Johann Hinrich Wichern in the nineteenth century. Many families have a weekly Advent coffee afternoon, church services and calendar doors to open.
Sunday is a quiet day by law in Germany, and most shops are closed, apart from occasional special opening Sundays that individual states and municipalities permit. Markets and cultural events continue, so it is a good day for a walk in a decorated town.
What to see, do and eat
Visit a Christmas market, attend an Advent concert or church service, or bake at home. Many towns schedule a lighting ceremony or opening for the first weekend, and churches hold Advent music events.
Traditional seasonal foods include Stollen, Lebkuchen, gingerbread, roasted almonds and mulled wine. Advent coffee at home with cake and candles is the quiet domestic version of the day.
Travel and planning
Because this entry is nationwide, travel plans depend on where you want to spend the day. The first Advent weekend is busy at popular markets, particularly Saturday evening, so book trains and hotels early if you plan an overnight stay in a well-known market city.
In 2028 the late date shortens the market season, with fewer weeks between the opening and Christmas. Many markets open on the Monday after Totensonntag, 27 November, so a visit on the first Advent weekend, 2 and 3 December, is among the first busy weekends.
Holidays and vacation days around 3 December 2028
3 December 2028 is a Sunday and not a public holiday in any German state. The nearest weekday of interest is Wednesday 6 December, Saint Nicholas Day, which is a custom and not a holiday. Totensonntag is on 26 November, and in Saxony the Buß- und Bettag holiday falls on Wednesday 22 November.
A weekend trip around the first Advent, Saturday 2 to Sunday 3 December, takes no vacation days. Friday 1 December to Sunday 3 December takes one day. A longer stay from Monday 27 November to Sunday 3 December takes five days. Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 December in 2028, so a planned year-end block begins later.
Tips and who it suits
The first Advent suits families, couples and anyone who wants the start of the Christmas season in a market town. If you prefer less crowded markets, choose Sunday afternoon or the weekdays after.
Check local market opening times, as they differ between cities. If you travel by train, consider an off-peak slot, because the first Advent weekend is a popular travel time.
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Written and maintained by Basaveswara Rao. Last reviewed on October 10, 2026.