The onslaught of festive cheer: the twinkling lights, endless carols, and compulsory mulled wine – can overwhelm even the jolliest soul.
And the phenomenon of holiday overload appears universal, judging by the Grinch's enduring popularity in the US, Scrooge's iconic status in the UK and Germany's own Weihnachtsmuffel.
What does Weihnachtsmuffel mean?
Der Weihnachtsmuffel is a noun for someone who dislikes Christmas, feels bah humbug about the holidays or resists festive traditions like markets and decorations.
It combines Weihnachten (Christmas) with der Muffel, a grump or grouch. Der Muffel comes from the verb muffeln which means “to mutter” or “to smell mouldy”.
Muffel also appears in lots more compound nouns in German, including der Morgenmuffel (someone who doesn’t like mornings) and der Tanzmuffel (someone who avoids dancing).
READ ALSO: Why do Germans eat carp on Christmas Eve?
Why do I need to know Weihnachtsmuffel?
The Weihnachtsmuffel is as vital to a successful German Christmas as the Grinch or Scrooge is in the Anglosphere.
These characters begin by delivering clear-eyed critiques of the season's excesses – soaring costs, peer pressure, mawkish sentiment and rampant commercialism – before their redemptive arcs gradually remind us of where the true magic of Christmas really lies.
A perfect case in point is a German TV film from 2011 starring Jan Fedder as Christmas hater Dirk Matties.
How to use it:
Ich bin ein totaler Weihnachtsmuffel – keine Glühwein für mich!
I’m a total Christmas grump – no mulled wine for me!
Mein Nachbar ist der größte Weihnachtsmuffel im Viertel.
My neighbour is the biggest Christmas grump in the neighbourhood.
READ ALSO: Seven German Christmas markets with a unique twist
Sei kein Weihnachtsmuffel und komm mit zum Markt!
Don’t be a Christmas grump and come to the market with us!
Die Weihnachtsmuffel hasst Deko, aber liebt schlieĂźlich die Lichter.
The Christmas grump hates decorations but ends up loving the lights.
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