Twitter
Facebook
In Germany, Christmas markets are special highlights taking place during the pre-Christmas time, also known as Advent. The Christmas market season just started in the majority of towns and cities. Villages usually choose one Advent weekend to hold their markets.
The history of Christmas markets dates back to the 14th century. After farmers had sold their crop, they paid their workers. After attending worship services during Advent, those workers spent their money right away at little markets set up around the church. The most common items offered were sweets and toys. Also, craftsmen selling baskets, pottery, spices, clothes and Christmas tree ornaments were available.
Today, most Christmas market-goers just want to enjoy the atmosphere and taste the typical goodies such as roasted chestnuts, cinnamon waffles, potato pancakes and Thüringer bratwurst. Shoppers getting cold, should take a break and taste a cup of “Glühwein” to warm up. Glühwein is a heated mostly red wine spiced with cloves and cinnamon sticks. Those who are interested in buying some unique Christmas decorations find vendors selling a variety of candles, angels, Advent wreaths, Christmas pyramids and nutcrackers. Other shoppers needing special Christmas gifts have a choice of handmade pottery, handcrafted leather items, glass products, jewelry, wooden toys and puppets.
Besides food and merchandise, Christmas markets feature daily activities, musical entertainment, merry-go-rounds, appearances by Santa Claus, and in some towns there are set-ups of living nativity scenes. Generally, most Christmas markets in bigger towns open at 10 or 11 a.m. and close between 7 and 10 p.m. depending on the day of week. The markets in little villages usually don’t start until the early afternoon.
Local Markets
Alsenborn, Dec. 8 and 9
Bann, Dec. 15 and 16
Eisenberg, Nov. 30 to Dec. 2
Enkenbach, Dec. 1 and 2
Erzenhausen, Dec. 2
Eulenbis, Dec. 16
Falkenstein Castle (north of Winnweiler),
Dec. 15 and 16
Fockenberg-Limbach, Dec. 8
Frankenstein, Dec. 1 and 2
Glan-Münchweiler, Dec. 8
Hauptstuhl, Dec. 15
Heiligenmoschel, Dec. 8
Hochspeyer, Dec. 8 and 9
Homburg, Nov. 30 to Dec. 9
Hütschenhausen, Dec. 9
Kaiserslautern, through Dec. 23;
and Dec. 27 to Dec. 30
Katzweiler, Dec. 1 and 8
Kindsbach, Dec. 3 and 4
Kirchheimbolanden, Dec. 7 to 9
Kottweiler-Schwanden, Dec. 1 and 2
Kusel, Dec. 14 to 16
Kusel, Lichtenberg Castle (medieval
Christmas market), Dec. 1 and 2
Landstuhl, Dec. 1 and 2; Dec. 14 to 17
Linden, Dec. 8
Mackenbach, Dec. 1
Mehlingen, Dec. 1 and 2
Miesau, Dec. 8
Mittelbrunn, Dec. 15
Neuhemsbach, Dec. 1 and 2
Neuleiningen, Dec. 1 and 2; Dec. 8 and 9
Niederkirchen, Dec. 8
Obermoschel, Dec. 1 and 2
Obernheim-Kirchenarnbach, Dec. 8 and 9
Olsbrücken, Dec. 16
Otterbach, Dec. 1
Otterberg, Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 16, and Dec. 22
Ramsen, Dec. 8 and 9
Ramstein-Miesenbach, Dec. 8 and 9
Reichenbach-Steegen, Dec. 12
Rodalben, Dec. 1 and 2
Rodenbach, Dec. 1
Schallodenbach, Dec. 8 and 9
Schneckenhausen, Dec. 2
Schönenberg-Kübelberg, Dec. 15 and 16
Schopp, Dec. 1 and 2
Schwedelbach, Dec. 8 and 9
Stelzenberg, Dec. 1
Sulzbachtal, Dec. 9
Trippstadt, House of Sustainability,
Johanniskreuzer Strasse 1,
Romantic Forest Christmas, Dec. 15 and 16
Waldmohr, Dec. 1 and 2
Weilerbach, Dec. 1 and 2, and Dec. 8
Winnweiler, Dec. 1 and 2
Other Markets in Germany
Ansbach, through Dec. 23
Baden-Baden, through Dec. 30
Bad Kreuznach, through Dec. 9
Baumholder, Dec. 7 and 8
Berlin, Gendarmenmarkt, through Dec. 31
Bernkastel-Kues/Mosel, through Dec. 22
Bingen, Dec. 14 to 16
Bitburg, Dec. 5 to 16
Cochem/Mosel, through Dec. 16
Cochem, Reichsburg Castle, Dec. 15 and 16
Darmstadt, through Dec. 23
Deidesheim/German Wine Street, Nov. 30 to
Dec. 2; Dec. 7 to 9; Dec. 14 to 16; Dec. 21 to 23
Dresden, through Dec. 24
Frankenthal, through Dec. 23
Frankfurt, through Dec. 23
Freinsheim/German Wine Street, Dec. 1 and 2;
Dec. 8 and 9; Dec. 15 and 16; Dec. 22 and 23
Garmisch, Dec. 2 to 26
Grünstadt, Nov. 30 to Dec. 2;
Dec. 7 to Dec. 9; Dec. 14 to Dec. 16
Heidelberg, through Dec. 22
Idar-Oberstein, Dec. 1 and 2 in Oberstein
(Schloss); Dec. 7 to 9 in Idar
Karlsruhe, through Dec. 23
Koblenz, through Dec. 22
Köln, through Dec. 23
Landau, through Dec. 20
Leipzig, through Dec. 22
Ludwigshafen, through Dec. 23
Mainz, through Dec. 23
Mannheim, through Dec. 23
München, Nov. 30 to Dec. 24
Neustadt/German Wine Street, through Dec. 22
Nürnberg, Nov. 30 to Dec. 24
Pirmasens, Nov. 30 to Dec. 22
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Nov. 30 to Dec. 23
Rüdesheim, through Dec. 23
Saarbrücken, through Dec. 23
Speyer, through Dec. 24; Dec. 31 to Jan. 6
St. Martin/German Wine Street, Dec. 1 and 2;
Dec. 8 and 9; Dec. 15 and 16
Stuttgart, through Dec. 23
St. Wendel, Dec. 8 to 16
Trier, through Dec. 22
Wiesbaden, through Dec. 23
Würzburg, Nov. 30 to Dec. 23
Zweibrücken, Dec. 1 to 16
Markets in France
Colmar, through Dec. 31
Metz, through Dec. 30
Strasbourg, through Dec. 31
Wissembourg, Dec. 1 and 2; Dec. 8 and 9;
Dec. 15 and 16; Dec. 22 and 23
