Germans gear up for winter based on TikTok trends

"Have you had your heating on yet?" has become the standard question among friends and colleagues in Germany. Many people have not, although October 1 is when the heating period officially begins in Germany each year. This year, exceptionally mild temperatures are working in favor of thrifty Germans.

Heating rooms to a maximum of 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit) is just one of the recommendations from the German government to encourage residents to reduce their energy consumption this winter. 

Faced with the ongoing energy crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the measures should have a two-fold effect: reduce the cost of energy bills and minimize the risk of shortages this winter.  

A run on thermal underwear and electric heaters

Now, consumers in Germany are on the lookout for alternative ways to stay snug, starting with the "Zwiebel look" (onion look) — literally layering up. 

Sales figures speak for themselves: During September, online clothing and homeware store Baur said sales of thermal underwear were up by a whopping 558% compared to the same period last year. Sales of classic hot water bottles were also up 165%; electric blankets, 220%. 

As early as August, the German site of online marketplace eBay also saw an uptick in the purchase of products to keep warm and prepare homes for the winter months. Sales of window seals had doubled, while 70% more draft excluders (the long, skinny pillows people stick into the crack at the bottom of the door) had been sold.

There was also high demand for products to generate your own electricity, with sales of solar thermal systems increasing around 126% and even small wind turbines around 70%. 

A couple of months ago, when the rising gas prices first became an issue of public concern, electric heaters sold out. Already in the first half of 2022, retailers reported a 35% increase in sales of these compared to the same period in the previous year. 

But the Institute for Damage Prevention and Damage Research has warned of the risks of electric fan heaters. The devices should not be used unattended, and they should be kept well away from flammable objects, it said in a recent publication. 

And electricity networks around the country have warned against using electricity for heating due to concerns that regional grids will be overwhelmed. 

Social media hype

With every new crisis, there are also new social media trends. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the likes of TikTok and Instagram were brimming with tips, whether it was making your own mask in the early days, a new quarantine fitness trend, or unusual drinks to get people through the long days inside.

Now, #stayathome is out and #staywarm is in, with crafty influencers parading their homemade heating bags filled with cherry pits.

But Germany's Fire service association (DFV) is warning against one particular trend in particular: the homemade "tea candle oven" — which involves assembling two plant pots with several tea candles. 

"These 'tea light ovens' are a real hazard," said Carsten-Michael Pix from the DFV's specialist fire services. "They're still an open flame that can easily be knocked over or quickly turn into a bigger flame. At the end of the day, they won't heat your room. You'd need hundreds of tealights for that," he told DW. 

Pix also urged consumers to call in the chimney sweep before igniting fires in fireplaces and ovens that run on wood or coal. 

Ornate tile-covered heating ovens, which are still common in many apartments dating from the early 1900s, have often been out of use for a long time and are more decorative than practical. 

"Without the proper checks in place, you run the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning," Pix warned. Carbon monoxide gas cannot be seen or smelled, which makes it al the more dangerous. 

People should also be careful in terms of what they're burning, he added. "You should only be using dry wood. You can't throw any old material on there, or you risk poisoning yourself."

He added that they "can't reiterate enough" awareness of fire dangers, particularly with open fires. "Do not leave them unattended," Pix said. 

Edited by: Rina Goldenberg

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