Weinachtsmarkts Germany’s Christmas Gift to the World
W
hen it’s Christmastime in Germany, the town squares transform into enchanted holiday scenes with open-air stalls, decorated Christmas trees, and brightly lit paper stars. Aromas of sizzling sausage, spices, and sweets delight the senses. As soon as Advent begins, the Christmas markets begin to appear, presenting their seasonal foods and traditional handicrafts. German Christmas markets, also known as Weinachtsmarkts or Christkindlmarkts, began hundreds of years ago as winter markets where villagers could purchase necessary items for the long, cold months ahead. As they
spread to other German villages, they became more than marketplaces—they evolved into highly anticipated holiday events. Each unique Christmas market provides a distinct experience with holiday themes, regional foods, and custom crafts.
Berlin
Berlin hosts over seventy Christkindlmarkts throughout the city. The largest market has sixty stalls and specializes in regional fare such as dried fruit, bratwurst, and beer. Local choirs perform every evening, contributing to the holiday festivities. The traditional markets present a live nativity or a Christkind (a local girl dressed
as an angel). Additional markets feature Scandinavian themes with toboggans; others have merry-go-rounds and familyfriendly entertainers, and for the romantically inclined, there are markets that offer horse-drawn carriage rides. There is something special for everyone at the Berlin Christkindlmarkts.
Cologne
The Cologne Christmas market is the largest in Germany, featuring 160 stalls that attract four million visitors each year. The market is held in the town square by the grand Cologne Cathedral and boasts the tallest Christmas tree of Germany’s Christmas markets. The scent of chocolate is in the air with cocoadusted truffles and thick, steamy hot chocolate drinks offered from the booths. Cologne’s market is one of the most delightful of all the German Christmas markets.
Dresden
Visitors explore the Stuttgart Christmas Market. Photo by Chris Fleming. CC-BY-SA-2.0. (Image cropped.)
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Dresden’s Striezelmarkt is thought to be the oldest German Christmas market. The Striezelmarkt is famous for displaying the world’s largest Weihnachtspyramide (traditional German scenes stacked in a wooden pyramid)
