German Christmas Market

In light of the recent horrific events that struck Berlin’s Christmas Market this week, I had thought of pulling this already-pending post. I in no way want to detract from this time of mourning and I honestly feel so much sadness towards the families that have been in any way effected by the attack. This time of year is sacred, and for those of us that celebrate Christmas, is a moment of cherished tradition surrounded by family and friends. To have that holy & pure ritual tarnished is devastating. 

Instead of adding to the sphere of darkness and negativity that currently surrounds the Christmas Markets of Berlin, Germany, and beyond, I think we must uphold the joyous nature of the festive season. Now more than ever, we should come together and ‘be merry’, be loving towards one another, and remember what Christmas is all about. It’s a time of giving. Instead of succumbing to the darkness, I’d like to encourage all to crank up the (real) Christmas spirit. Part of this lies in the tradition of Christmas markets, and I hope this post encourages that, if even a little. 

This may be a dark time, but let there be as much light as humanly possible.

European Christmas Markets have long been a popular favourite, and have more or less remained the same for decades in favour of preserving tradition. I love the glimpse back in time. Since having lived in Europe for the past few years, we’ve made it a priority to visit atleast one festive market a year. We’ve previously walked down Paris’ Champs-Élysées’ Christmas Market, glugged gluhwein within the gingerbread house-encircled main square of Frankfurt’s Christkindlmarkt, and this year we specifically went Christmas-market hopping from Germany to Prague.

The Bavarian city of Nuremberg is a fortified medieval centre, that houses Germany’s largest and most famous Christmas Market in the country. There, we drank glühwein (mulled wine) out of boot-shaped mugs while walking along the individual stalls selling everything from Christmas ornaments to cookies, handmade toys, German delicacies and small gifts. We tried the traditional Nürnberg bratwurst sausage on a small bun with mustard, kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes) served with stewed apples, and Flammkuchen- the German equivalent of tarte flambée.