Christmas Markets

You know the holidays are coming when the German Christmas markets begin! All of the bigger cities have them and they last for about a month. Each market is unique in the festivities and decorations. Some markets are small with 50 or less booths while others are large with 200 booths! You can find many things to purchase at the markets like clothing, jewelry, steins, smokers, nutcrackers, toys, plants, candles, decorations, ornaments, etc. etc. etc. Of course there is plenty of good food to try as well. One thing we like to do is to get a mug of gluhwein (mulled wine with spices) and keep the cup as a memento. The cups usually have the name of the city on them, the year and a nice picture of what the city is famous for. Each year the cups are different. Between our last tour in Germany and now this one we have quite a few gluhwein cups in our collection! If you are ever in Germany during the holidays you must visit a Christmas market.

The first market we went to was the one here in Schweinfurt. It is on the small side, but still festive and fun. You find yourself getting into the Christmas spirit.

There is a nice nativity scene and I believe that during some hours it is a live scene instead of these figures.

New this year to Schweinfurt is this Advent calendar. Each night at 1900 one of the doors opens up. We'll have to go back sometime and see what surprises are behind the doors.

The most famous Christmas market in Germany is the Nuremberg ChristKindle market. It gets millions of visitors every year. It is tradition that the Christmas Angel open the market every year by reading a prolouge. There is a separate Children's Christmas market in Nuremberg with rides and crafts especially for the young ones. We started out here to let the kids have a little fun before we hit the major crowds at the main market.

The kids enjoyed a nice ride on the Christmas carasoul...

and a train ride.

What is really neat and unique at the Children's market is that each booth has a really neat decoration on top of it. Most of them do movement and are fun to watch. I liked this angel one.

Lots of fun and excitement at the Kinder Weihnachmarkt!

A street or two over from the Children's market is the main Nuremburg Christmas market. This is a picture of some booths connecting the two markets. The main market was shoulder-to-shoulder crowded with rows and rows of booths.

Favorite souvenirs at the market include "Nuremberg Plum People", little figures made from prunes. They are funny little things, but we did not buy one.

We look forward to venturing out to visit a few more markets before Christmas is upon us. Tis the season!!