Luxembourg’s traditions and their words: from Liichtmëssdag to Kleeschen

Lanterns in February, bonfires in Lent, a pretzel for love, clay whistles on Easter Monday, a three-week funfair in summer and St Nicholas in December. Luxembourg’s year in its own words — what happens, and how to say it.

Updated November 3, 2026 · 5 min read

Traditions are where Luxembourgish is at its most Luxembourgish: the words for them often have no translation. The dates and customs below come from the government’s official site, luxembourg.public.lu; the recordings from the official dictionary. If you are new to the country, this is also a calendar of what you will be invited to. For everyday expressions, see 20 expressions every newcomer hears.

February: Liichtmëssdag and Fuesent

On 2 February children go from door to door with lanterns (Liichtebengelcher), singing a traditional song that begins Léiwer Härgottsblieschen, and receive sweets and coins.

From Liichtmëssdag to Ash Wednesday it is Fuesent — carnival: masked balls in almost every village and cavalcades in towns such as Diekirch, Esch-sur-Alzette, Remich, Pétange and Schifflange.

Lent: Buergbrennen and Bretzelsonndeg

On the first Sunday after carnival, villages build huge bonfires — the Buerg — on the hills and light them after dark to chase winter away, often after a torchlight procession and with mulled wine.

On the fourth Sunday of Lent, Bretzelsonndeg, a man gives his sweetheart a sweet pretzel; at Easter she answers with an egg if she feels the same — or with an empty basket. In leap years the roles are reversed.

Easter: Klibberen and Éimaischen

Legend says the church bells fly to Rome after Holy Thursday; until Easter, children walk the streets with wooden rattles (Klibberen) to call people to prayer, and are rewarded with eggs and coins.

On Easter Monday comes Éimaischen, a folk market in the old town of Luxembourg City and in the village of Nospelt, famous for the Péckvillchen — clay birds that whistle like a cuckoo when you blow into them.

Spring: the Oktav and the hopping procession

From the third Sunday after Easter, the Oktav brings parishes from all over the country and the border regions on a two-week pilgrimage to the statue of the Virgin Mary in Luxembourg City’s cathedral, with a little market (Mäertchen) beside it. On Whit Tuesday, Echternach holds its hopping procession in honour of St Willibrord, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

June: National Day

The Grand Duke’s official birthday is celebrated on 22 and 23 June with the changing of the guard, a torchlight procession, fireworks and a military parade — and the national anthem everywhere.

Late summer: Schueberfouer and the Kiermes

The Schueberfouer, held on the Glacis in Luxembourg City from late August to early September, goes back to 1340. Around two million visits a year, about 200 rides and stalls — and the Hämmelsmarsch, a musical sheep march that opens the fair. Villages have their own fair, the Kiermes, for their patron saint.

The fair gave the language one of its best proverbs — Et ass net all Dag Kiermes, life is not a fair every day. More in village life in Luxembourgish sayings.

December and January: Kleeschen, Christmas, Three Kings

On 6 December St Nicholas — de Kleeschen — brings presents to children, with his dark companion, the Houseker, who carries twigs for the naughty ones. It is a school holiday in primary school.

Words for celebrating

The verbs behind all of this: feieren (to celebrate), invitéieren (to invite), sangen (to sing), danzen (to dance), iessen and drénken. For wishes, see happy New Year, cheers and good luck; for food, food and drink sayings and food words with audio. Families with children will meet many of these customs at school — see school and childcare words. For the invitations themselves: family words, words for the home, greetings — and, for Bretzelsonndeg, how to say I love you.

Being invited is the best way to learn. If you want to arrive able to chat, practise first: on Edluxio you can book 1-to-1 online lessons with independent teachers, native speakers among them. Book a trial lesson; if your first lesson isn’t right for you, you get a full refund.

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