Servus! Christmas is less than a week away so to get you in the Christmas spirit I thought I would share the magic of the Christkindlmarkt and why you should visit. Here are five reasons to make you want to jump on a plane to Germany right away (or visit a German themed Christmas market in the country you live in!).

1. The drinks that will warm you up

There is nothing better on a cold, snowy day than drinking a warm Glühwein (mulled wine). At the Christkindlmarkt there are so many drinks you can try. If Glühwein isn’t exciting enough try a Feuerzangenbowle (literally translates to “fire tongs punch”), which is mulled wine with a sugar cube soaked in rum. Here comes the fun part – they set the drink on fire before serving it to you (just don’t forget to blow it out before you drink it!) In some bigger Christmas markets (for example Tollwood in Munich) they also sell more exotic drinks like hot coconut milk with rum. If alcohol isn’t your thing everywhere also sells Kinderpunsch (children’s punch… although not just for children!) which is alcohol free mulled wine made from various juices and spices. If you aren’t swayed yet look at the photo below, most of the places sell their Glühwein in cute little boot mugs!

A typical mulled wine mug that you will find at the Christkindlmarkt. Own photo.

2. The food

I swear food and drink are the two main reasons why I go to the Christkindlmarkt. You will find crepes, waffles and tradition German/Bavarian food at every Christkindlmarkt, and the bigger the Christmas market the more choice there is. Tollwood offers food from all over the world (Indian, African, Mexican, Hungarian and more), they even have a massive tent filled with food stalls! There are always vegetarian options and it is becoming more common that there are also vegan options at the food stalls, so you don’t have to worry about getting hungry!

3. The atmosphere

If you love Christmas as much as me, you will love the Christmas atmosphere at the Christkindlmarkt. Lights are hung everywhere, Christmas trees are up and the smell of mulled wine makes you even more excited for Christmas. The stalls are actual little wooden huts to make it more authentic and if there’s a blanket of snow then it’s even better! Although it can get a bit full at Christmas markets (especially at the weekend) everyone remains in a good mood.

4. The present buying opportunities

If you’re stuck on what to buy you can always buy a unique gift from the Christmas market. Although some gifts may be more expensive than buying it in a store, they are usually handmade and one of a kind. There are ornaments, jewellery, hats, gloves, scarves, tea and much much more. If you find the boot mugs a cute gift idea (my sister wished for one a couple of years ago) you could also take them home with you. When you buy the mulled wine you pay an extra 3 or 4 euros Pfand. This is a deposit for the mug. If you give the mug back you get your money back, but if you want to keep it you have already paid for it anyway!

5. Activites and Shows

If the other four reasons haven’t impressed you enough there are also activities and events at the Christmas markets. Live choirs and music play at the markets and if you want to know some history you can book a Christmas market tour. I watched an acrobatic show at Tollwood a few weeks ago which was amazing! There are also different types of Christmas markets that will have suitable shows and events designed just for the market. For example in Munich there is the Mittelaltermarkt (middle ages market) or a Märchenbazar (fairy tale Bazaar) which has activities for children too.

Mittelaltermarkt! Own photo.

So those were my five reasons to why you should visit a German Christmas market! Let me know if you’ve ever been to one or if there is one in your country – for example in London we have Winter Wonderland which is inspired by the German Christmas markets. You can always start planning your Christmas market trip for next year!

Frohe Weihnachten!

Merry Christmas!

Larissa