My home is my castle, so in Germany you can decorate the interior as you wish. For example, even if you don't own the home but rent it, you have the full right to set up and decorate a Christmas tree in the living room. The landlord cannot forbid this. However, as Deutsche Welle notes, you should remember: if the glowing garlands you use to decorate the tree cause a fire, you will be responsible for the incident.
Perhaps some neighbors might not like that bright decorations appear on the windows and doors of your house or apartment around Christmas. Don't worry: that's entirely their problem. There is a ruling by the Düsseldorf Regional Court stating that even if a person lives in an apartment building, they have the absolute right to hang a Christmas wreath on the front door of their apartment – without regard to neighbors' reactions. You can also decorate your windows to your taste, whether with large stars, balls, bright bulbs, or large shiny tinsel.
It's a different matter if someone in an apartment building decides to decorate the main entrance. Here, neighbors can say "no" and demand that all decor be removed. Confirmation of this is a verdict by the Administrative Court in Münster. Among other things, this ruling provides for criminal punishment for the "designer" whose installations caused an accident – for example, if exhibits blocked the path, someone tripped over them and twisted their ankle. And lit candles on the stairwell are completely taboo. The number of fires caused by them increases several times during the holiday season.
Even if you want to beautify the staircase with very innocent decorations like wall pictures with winter landscapes and Christmas scenes, you still need to get the consent of your neighbors. Otherwise, you could face trouble.
One of the associations that come to mind when mentioning Christmas is the tempting winter aromas that always accompany this wonderful holiday: the fragrant smell of the Christmas tree, tangerines, vanilla, traditional homemade pastries, the scent of scented candles, cinnamon sticks, various essential oils and spices. All this helps to immerse yourself even more in the atmosphere of the approaching holiday.
So, in their own homes and apartments, German residents can use incense as they wish. However, in common areas – for example, on stairwells and landings – using scented sprays, fragrant candles, diffusers, and other air fresheners is strictly prohibited. This is stated, in particular, by a decision of the Higher Regional Court of North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf.
When decorating your balcony, terrace, or the facade of your own house for the holidays, you must first of all observe all necessary safety measures: securely fasten all items, do not use flammable toys and decorations, use decorations made of cotton impregnated with a fire retardant, do not create light effects using chemicals, and only use factory-made electric garlands.
And if you want to hang bright lanterns and twinkling garlands with running lights outside, it's better to consult with your neighbors first: what if your creativity irritates them or, worse, your creations disturb their sleep? But even if you don't encounter resistance, the illumination should still be turned off after 10 p.m. The exception is Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve: at these times, outdoor festive attributes can sparkle and twinkle until midnight. This is established in a decision by the Berlin Regional Court.
Decorate your car for Christmas? Well, hardly anyone would decide to do that. The public organization German Road Safety Council (Deutsche Verkehrswacht) strongly advises against it. After all, it's even hypothetically frightening to imagine a situation where a driver of a car decorated with garlands and figurines of Santa Claus, gnomes, and squirrels suddenly slams on the brakes or makes a sharp turn. The consequences could be unpredictable. So it's better not to overdo it and limit holiday decor to decorating your home and office.