Think of Germany during the Advent season and their famous Christmas Markets come to mind. People actually come here at this time of year ONLY for a Christmas market tour! There are actual tour buses full of American, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Chinese tourists to name a few that travel around the biggest cities for Christmas Markets! One city a day! Boggles the mind, doesn't it, but then you go to one yourself and get all caught up in the jovial excitement of the people and lights and scents of the market and feel like you're part of it all...until some old German guy with a waxed mustache tries to pommel you for deigning to cut the steady human traffic flow to get to the other side...but that's another story.
I think I'm a bit of an authority on Christmas Markets by now having been to about 15 of them in 7 cities, (so far), and by and large, there are some things that are essential to their success.
1) Glühwein - Pronounced Gloo-wine and otherwise known as mulled wine. This is the time when each market gets to present their own wine and spice mixture. These spices include cinnamon, clove, star anise, orange and/or lemon peel and their heavenly aroma will guide you to the market. The most popular glühwein is red, but at some of the bigger markets, white or rosé wine has popped up as an alternative, as well as a warm yellow drink topped with whipped cream called Eierlikör made from a Dutch liquor called Advocaat. This is a creamy drink that contains dry white wine, dark rum, ground cloves, bourbon vanilla, honey, and a pinch of brown rock sugar and gingerbread spices on top. It is particularly potent, so don't be fooled by that not so innocent whipped cream on top. It comes with a straw to avoid a frothy moustache as you drink that creamy goodness. Some regional markets also have hot ciders or hot apple wine. And for a real pick me up, there is Feuerzangebowle, (fire tongs bowl). Above a vat of glühwein is a metal trough filled with a cone of sugar; rum is poured over the sugar and lit on fire. The fire carmelizes the sugar which drains into the wine below. It's a really cool thing to see being made. And let's not forget that for the kinder (children), there is a kinderpunsch (punch) which looks like and tastes surprisingly like glüwein, but without the alcohol. Finally, there is hot chocolate usually topped with whipped cream when you are all glüweined out or want something sweeter to warm you up.
Each market has their own unique mug with the city name, but also the market area on it. Some are beautifully coloured mugs with lively coloured pictures of the market, while others are shaped like a small boot or a snowman, and then there are the tall, narrow frosted glass mugs with huge handles to hold while wearing a mitten. They are inscribed with gold writing and include golden silhouettes of the city cathedral or Rathaus (city hall). These elegant glasses are my favourite!
Prices of the drinks vary. You'll usually pay about €3 for the drink itself if it's alcoholic with the pfand, (deposit) for the mug on top. The pfand can vary. I've seen it for as little as €1 in our little town of Ratingen, and as much as €3 for the pfand in the bigger cities where the tourists visit, knowing that many of them will take the mug home as a souvenir. The non-alcoholic drinks usually range from €1 to as much as €2.50 depending on the market. Most people drink up and go back for their deposit so they can buy another drink!
2) Regional Food - Ahhhhh! It's all about the food isn't it?!? At the markets, you can smell the roasted chestnuts or marrons before you can see them. They are very popular here in Europe and taste great. Also, the bratwurst in a crispy bun is a staple. In Aachen there were half metre sized bratwurst! Also, there are huge pots of soup, soft pretzels and Gebrannt Mandeln (burnt sugared almonds) whose cinnamon scent wafts over the market. Every market has regional favourites as well. For instance, in Paris, crêpes and raclette is very popular. In Germany, a big favourite for everyone is chocolate covered fruit on a stick and those delicious potato pancakes that are crispy on the outside and steamy hot and soft on the inside. In the Netherlands, smoked or raw herring fish is huge while in Belgium, everyone loves the waffles and the frites. There is always something for everyone.
3) Christmas Lights - What would a Christmas Market be without lights? Lots of them, thousands; the more the better. And a central focus is needed to bind them together in a glorious display. This could be a giant Christmas tree, or a May Pole topped with a golden star with lights cascading down from the centre like flowing ribbons and radiating outward. Or it could be an enormous Printen cookie like Aachen is famous for, studded with head sized almonds. These are not coloured lights either; they are always a warm white to better illuminate the market and to also resemble stars.
4) Music - Not all Christmas Markets have music, but the best ones do. If it's not piped music, it's live music with carolers or brass bands or string instruments. In Essen, a whole troupe was playing Pachebel's Canon and people stopped to listen and stood quietly, lost in the poignant notes with smiles on their faces. Music is also played at all the carousels as children go round and round on brighly coloured horses or magical beasts.
5) Market Stalls - These market stalls come in many designs and usually resemble small huts. The most festive and traditional ones are made of dark wood resembling tiny Black Forest chalets and are decorated with real pine bows, twinkling lights, red ribbons and gleaming gold balls (much like the one in our town). What is sold? Anything and everything from beautifully carved nativity sets and cribs, unique hats, famous blown glass balls and figurines, wooden nutcrackers, lead soldiers and fairy tale ornaments painted with enamel, exquisite paper geometric paper stars with cut outs for lights, tin cookie cutters, beeswax candles, wooden toys, and ceramic domed tealight holders carved with the city's famous buildings and high lights and so much more. The stalls are lit inside and out with fairy lights and decorated with fresh evergreen bows and whatever they're selling. The stalls that sell food have electrical outlets too for ovens, grills and stoves to make food on the spot.
6) Location and Backdrop - All European towns and cities have a big market square, no matter how small they are where people can gather. The squares could have a focal point like an elaborate fountain, or a statue of a prominent local person. In spring, summer and fall, they have tables and chairs and canopies set up by the local restaurants surrounding them and the squares are primarily meeting places for friends and friends to gather. On certain days of the week, they are transformed into fresh food markets, or are places for a concert or to celebrate a festival such as Oktoberfest, Schützenfest, St. Martinsfest, Carneval, the first of May, or Easter...the list goes on and on! But from Advent on, it's solely for the Christmas market. In some cities like Köln, Rothenburg, Aachen or Dresden, the magnificent cathedrals and churches are the background with the elaborate stone or half timbered Rathaus included. The guildhall of the masters could also be located on the square and it's always beautiful to see centuries old buildings decorated with garland, wreaths and lights creating a magical backdrop. Ruhr Cities like Essen whose old churches and buildings were utterly obliterated during the allied bombing raids of WWII have no older beautiful buildings and instead try extra hard to be special by having more lights, lots of music, beautifully decorated stalls and medieval artisan areas to generate interest from locals and visitors alike.
7) Carousels - These are very popular in Europe and you will always find at least one in even the smallest market, while the bigger ones in the cities have several. When the markets get crowded at night time and kids start to get cranky, savvy parents head for the carousel and let their little ones ride around and around while they stand, sip their Glüwein and listen to the carousel music and watch the frowns on their kids transform into smiles.
8) Ferris Wheels - Only the bigger cities have one of these, and they are fantastic for getting an overall view of all the lights of the Christmas Market. Bring your camera. Click!
Some of the markets are only open for the four weeks before Christmas, yet others close after the twelve days of Christmas which end on Jan. 5th. Either way, it has been a great experience and something that brightens the dark days before the winter solstice.
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