This is the time for Christkindlmarkts. Yep, in Germany the Christmas markets are in
full swing across the land. Sure, you’ve heard of the big ones in Berlin
and München, and so forth, but you don’t have to wander far to find smaller
versions. In my opinion, sometimes
smaller is better. No huge crowds. No long lines for eating and drinking…essen
und trinken.
The market in the photos took place a couple of weeks ago in
a nearby city. What do you think of when
you think of Christmas markets? Things
to buy and eat? Christmas
ornaments? Well, there’s all that, of
course, but even more, a German Christkindlmarkt is a place for friends to
gather for steaming cups of tea with rum, or mugs of Glühwein, that spiced and
sugared red wine concoction. Local bands
play Christmas music. The aroma of
roasting meats fills the frosty air.
Choirs of school children, bundled up and showing off their
weeks of practice, belt out choruses of traditional hymns and Santa Claus
classics. By the way, here are a couple
of ‘Did you know?’ items.
Over here, Santa Claus is St. Nicolas and he delivers small
gifts to children on St Nicolas Day, 6 December. Family members exchange gifts on Christmas
Eve.
Do the early Christmas markets make a little more sense
now? Another thing to factor in is that
Advent (the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Day) is a big part of the
holiday season, so celebrations begin about 1 December and go through to the 25th. Advent means ‘coming’ in Latin, the season
leading up to the coming of Jesus.
In Germany, at least for the present, Christmas is a
religious time. But, that doesn’t mean
there are no Christmas trees! There are
plenty and the custom dates back to the middle ages. Parents traditionally decorate the trees in
secret.
There’s the German Christmas season in a nutshell. Go out with friends and family and find a
Christkindlmarkt, large or small. It’s a
social season! Sip that tea and rum, or
glug that Glühwein! And, as they say in
Germany… Frohe
Weihnachten!!! Happy Christmas!!!
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