Christmas Markets

A favorite pastime for Germans and tourists alike is savoring the winter holiday season at a local Christmas market. The colorful fairs spring up in most towns and cities for the four-week Advent season leading up to Christmas Eve.

: Enlarge image; Shoppers pass through the rows of the market by the Gedächtniskirche.; (© Picture-Alliance / Tagesspiegel)

The scents of roasted almonds, gingerbread cookies and savory and sweet snacks mingle with the steam rising from mugs of hot spiced mulled wine as people stroll through rows of wooden booths and stalls. Shoppers find regional handicrafts—nutcrackers, wooden figurines, straw stars, smokers, textiles, cards, cookie tins, glass balls, toys, and tree ornaments. Each Christmas market is unique with its own flavor and traditions. Here is a just a small sampling of Germany's Christmas markets.

Berlin

The nation's capital is home to several Christmas markets, but the one held near the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche is perhaps the most beloved by locals and tourists alike. With about four million visitos each season, it is Germany's most popular Christmas market.

This Berlin market is known for its metropolis flair. As the most attractive city for German artists, musicians and writers, there is certainly enough talent within city limits to give the market an edgier, more modern feel than others in Germany. The fair is thus a trove of unique jewelry, decorations and artwork. Just across the street from the market and on both sides, Berlin's famous department stores are engaged in a veritable competition of spectacular holiday window displays.

Berlin.de

Dresden

: Enlarge image; The Striezelmarkt looks back on a long tradition.; (© picture-alliance / dpa)

The largest market in Dresden, called the Striezelmarkt, is one of the oldest in Germany. First mentioned in 1434, it is named for the local specialty striezel or stollen, a sweet yeast bread with fruit and nuts traditionally made around Christmas time. Bakers began baking stollen in the 16th century and would give one or two of the large loaves to the local prince at Christmas time. Over the years, the princes of Dresden would give out stollen to the poor and sick during the holiday season. The Monday on which the princes distributed this gift became known as Striezelmontag.

The market began as a place to buy meat for holiday festivities. In the 17th century, despite complaints from Dresden tradesmen, non-local tradesmen were given the right to sell at the market. Eventually the porcelain manufacturers from Meissen brought their delicate wares to the market. Today the Christmas woodcrafts of Germany's Erz Mountains—pyramids with moving parts powered by candle heat, colorful nutcrackers, smoking man figurines—feature prominently at the market

In 1994 the city first began celebrating the Dresden Stollen Festival. The event at the beginning of December features the festive unveiling of a 3-to-4-ton giant stollen, a procession through the historic center of the city, and finally, in the middle of the Striezelmarkt, the ceremonial cutting of the giant stollen with a 4-foot-long knife.

Christmas in Dresden

Lübeck

: Enlarge image; The Lübeck market has been held at city hall since 1648.; (© picture-alliance / HB-Verlag)

The market in this northern city has been held near city hall since 1648. Local goods sold at the market include items from wood-lathe artisans and the handiwork of shoemakers and leather artisans. Another fair held in the basement market hall of the Holy Ghost Hospital features handcrafted dolls, marionettes, baskets, metalwork, silk and leather goods.

Perhaps the most important item to come out of Lübeck's long Christmas tradition is marzipan, the candy made from almonds and sugar that is carefully formed and colored into delightful animals, fruits and decorations. If you can imagine it, the marzipan artists can make it. Marzipan came to Europe from the Orient and became a dessert served at royal tables. Today, Germany's most famous and traditional marzipan factories are found in Lübeck. And like the beer purity law of Bavaria, marzipan from Lübeck must adhere to strict standards enacted by the city.

Lübeck's Christmas Fairs

Nuremberg

Attracting two million visitors annually, Nuremberg Christmas market or Christkindlesmarkt is likely the most well-known outside of Germany. Its prominence lies in its traditional role as a marketplace for handcrafted wooden figurines and decorations. Early historical evidence of the market dates back to 1628.

: Enlarge image; By tradition, a teenage girl dressed as the Christmas Angel opens the Nuremberg market.; (© dpa - Bildfunk)

It is also known for the tradition of the Christkind or Christmas Angel, a girl dressed as an angel who opens the market on the Friday before the first advent Sunday by reciting a solemn prologue. The Christmas Angel is played by teenage girl from Nuremberg who is chosen to serve for a term of two years. In addition to appearances at the market the Christmas Angel also visits nursing homes, hospitals, kindergartens and other charitable institutions to bring Christmas cheer.

The city of Chicago has modeled its Christmas market on the Nuremberg market since 1996. The Chicago market is opened every year by the previous year's Christmas Angel from Nuremberg.

Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt