German Christmas Markets are Wicked-Fun

Real misteltoe

The holidays can be a rough time for expats like myself. This is one time of year when the miles between you and home seem extra-long, the nights feel extra dark and the crispy wind feel extra cold. Here in Germany, however, there is something which happens around this time that is so awesome it can make even the home-sickiest expat forget they’re missing home.

Of course I’m talking about traditional German Christmas markets!!!

In Germany, Christmas is called “Weihnachten” or “hallowed nights” and the incredible markets that spring up all across the country near Christmas-time are called “Weihnachstmarkts”.

Weihnachtsmarkts are AWESOME.

I’ll try and describe the one in Hamburg. First, think of a midway at a Fall Fair or the CNE, now replace the carnies with normal people and the cotton candy with warm, roasted nuts. Replace the soda-pop and Slurpees with hot spiced wine and cold beer. Replace the rigged games and made-in-Taiwan prizes with friendly local vendors selling hand-made candles and Fair Trade scarves, painstakingly carved wooden decorations and tiny alpine chalets that double as incense burners. Finally, trade in the rickety Tilt-O-Whirl blasting Ace of Bass and the smell of burning gears with a 1940’s-era carousel and the smell of cookies and cinnamon. Getting the picture?

At a good Christmas market, you can almost feel the magic of the Christmas spirit creeping into your cold, cold heart. Or is that just the Gluhwein? Let’s stop right here for a minute and talk about Gluhwein**.

**Wikipedia says: Gluhwein is a traditional winter beverage (dating back to the year 1420) prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves, star aniseed, citrus, sugar and at times vanilla pods. It is sometimes drunk mit Schuss (with a shot).

Gluhwein in the big glass things

Gluhwein, especially “Mit Schuss” is wonderful. It keeps you oh-so-warm as you meander the corridors of a Christmas market, and it also gets you HELLA-DRUNK if you have more than two. Nearly everyone at the Christmas market is rosy-cheeked and smiling and half-tanked on Gluhwein – it’s a beautiful thing.

If you don’t buy into the commercialization of holidays, like to support local artisans and bakers, and generally want to feel some Christmas magic, I suggest you visit Germany in December and get your ass to a Weihnachtsmarkt. Have some Gluhwein, eat some Schmalzgebäck (think Tiny Tom donuts at wonderland, only more irregular in shape) and buy some incredible, traditional, one-of a kind gifts. I guarantee that 
you will have a blast.

*AND* If you’re REALLY lucky, you might even get to see “Der Weihnachtsmann” (Santa).