Christmas markets start holiday season

***image1***Walking through the centers of town, shoppers can tell Christmas is only a few weeks away. Window displays show holiday decorations and Christmas markets in stores offer anything having to do with the holiday such as ornaments, Christmas cookies and chocolate Santa Clauses.

In Germany, outdoor Christmas markets are special events taking place during the pre-Christmas season. They consist of little wooden booths and houses decorated with fir tree garlands and light bulbs. Vendors sell traditional Christmas items such as ornaments, candles, angels, Advent wreaths and nutcrackers. Shoppers also find ideas for Christmas gifts such as wooden toys, puppets, handmade pottery, handcrafted leather items, glass products, jewelry and more.

Typical smells shoppers experience when strolling along the booths are the smells of roasted chestnuts, cinnamon waffles, Thüringer bratwurst and “Glühwein,” which is a typical winter drink. It’s a heated red wine spiced with cloves and cinnamon sticks and helps to warm up.

The first KMC Christmas market to open this season is the one in Kaiserslautern set up between Stiftskirche and Schillerplatz. It starts Nov. 22 and continues through Dec. 22.

“This year’s market will have a new look,” said Alexander Hess from the project office for events in Kaiserslautern. In cooperation with the vendors and the city garden shop, a new decoration and additional illumination help to make the booths and stands look good.

“It’s our goal to make the appearance of the market more attractive and to use a lot of green and Christmassy elements,” said Mr. Hess.

Christmas markets also offer an entertaining program.
“It is very important to us that the entertaining program shows tradition and continuity,” said Mr. Hess. A variety of music bands and carol singers will perform on the stage on Schillerplatz.

From noon to 7 p.m. each day, visitors can watch artists making a garden fountain out of quartz sandstone and a light object out of nature stone and acrylic glass.

“We want to present ourselves at the market Dec. 2,” said Sissi Koesling from the German-American Community Office. “We offer various entertainment from noon to 9 p.m. on the stage at Schillerplatz.”

Santa Claus welcomes visitors, German-American clubs give information on who they are and the 415th Base Support Battalion’s kiddie train gives children a ride.

“We also pass out tickets for the annual KMC Christmas concert Dec. 13 in the Fruchthalle in Kaiserslautern,” said Koesling.
Generally, Christmas markets open at 10 or 11 a.m. and close between 7 and 9 p.m. depending on the day of week.

The history of Christmas markets goes 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. Most common items offered were sweets and toys. There were also craftsmen selling baskets, pottery, spices, clothes and Christmas tree ornaments.