Festivities started around the time of Thanksgiving, with the start of Christmas markets springing up all around the city and festive displays in the windows.
Last week was super snowy in Kiel, so the Christmas spirit was even more in full swing! These fairs are open every single night and every city has their own versions of them. I have been having great fun traveling to different cities to check them out!
Traditionally, there are many stands selling Christmas ornaments and roasted, sweet nuts. There are also always candle stands and paper stars being sold. As for food, which is a main emphasis at these markets, you can get freshly roasted chestnuts, freshly smoked salmon, and, because we are in Germany, a good Würst (sausage). Drinks are also very important, and each market has their own mug that they sell with warm punch. Sometimes, people actually will go specifically to certain markets because of the mugs that they have, and I have heard of a market in Hamburg which has particularly nice mugs that I am loking forward to visiting soon!
These markets can take many different forms, and cities in Germany will often have more than one market square in which it is taking place! I visited the city of Leipzig recently, which has a really active arts scene that occupies abandoned factories, and so there were many arts-themed markets in these places. They also had, in addition to the standard market, a renaissance-era marke that had a blacksmith hard at work and a specially-constructed tent that was evocative of the Middle Ages! Essentially, at this time of the year in Germany, there is endless Christmastime spirit and activity!
Nikolaus
