Germany, the country which brought us the Christmas tree and Advent's Wreath, is a great place to do your holiday shopping. Especially for Americans, for whom the commercialization of Christmas has nearly drained the season of its magic and spiritual meaning. But rest assured, if you travel to Germany for the holidays, you will not find plastic Santas and artificial trees, or any of the annoying glitz which has come to epitomize the American Christmas. Instead, you will be joining other shoppers who are seeking out tradtional gifts and crafts, while being surrounded by medieval cathedrals, ancient town halls, and magnificent palaces.
Every year German cities set up their unique Christmas Markets, or Christkindl Markt, as they are called in the some of the southern regions. Many of them date back to at least the 13th century, although archival evidence states that Munich's market may have first been held in the early 12th century. They began as an impromptu means for artisans to sell their wares; in the weeks before Christmas, where craftsmen would set up wooden stalls outside churches, hoping to draw business from worshippers on their way in and out. As these gatherings began to grow, they gradually developed into festive outdoor crafts fairs
The Christmas Markets attract visitors and shoppers from all over the world, and for good reason--they're fun and almost magical. Artisans set up stalls in which they offer crafts, toys, figurines for nativity scenes and just about everything else you need to finish off a Christmas shopping list. The air is scented with gingerbread, roasted almonds, hot chestnuts and grilled sausages...to warm your hands and stomach, there is always plenty of mulled wine, and you may even find yourself serenaded by carolers as you shop and breathe in the smells and sights of the season.
Each city begins and ends its market on a different date, but in general, they open the last week of November, and remain in operation until Christmas week. How to choose which ones to visit? Well, the differences between the markets is reflected primarily by the characteristics of each host city. So pick a town or German city that you've always wanted to visit, and you'll most probably discover a wonderful Christmas market held right in the town square.
