Germany’s Christmas Markets Ring in Advent

PHOTO: The Christmas Market at Munich Airport is tucked between two  terminals. (Courtesy of Munich Airport)

It’s only fitting that the country that began the tradition of Christmas Markets should be the setting for the most futuristic market as well. Munich Airport’s Winter Market opened its gates this past weekend in a special area between terminals with its own ice rink, an ice slide, a beer garden, a cinema and plenty of stalls. At 16 years old, the airport’s market is a mere pup compared to the 700-year-old market in Munich’s central Marienplatz. Though Germany is where winter markets were first dedicated to Christmas, these European rites of winter date all the way back to pagan Saturnalia feasts.

Whoever started them and for whatever reason, it’s a glorious tradition that is open to everyone of good cheer. Today they lifted the spirits of community in cities and towns around the world.

No wonder they’re more popular than ever. In Germany, visitation to the markets has grown by 70 percent between the years of 2000 and 2012. It’s easy to see why; they’re a sensual feast. The cinnamon and allspice steam from vats of hot mulled wine (glühwein) and cider as ginger cakes, roasting almonds and chestnuts attract meandering crowds of people. It’s so relaxed and so busy all at the same time.

Almost every market has a signature. In Düsseldorf, for instance, seven markets with seven themes weave into each other throughout the city. The “Angel’s Market,” for instance, features glassblowers, candle-makers and other holiday crafts, while the “Star Market” features thousands of crystals and sparkling lights.

Next Friday (Nov. 28), the “Rothenburger Reiterle” (Rothenburg horseman) will ride into the Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Southern Germany to open the town’s market. The horseman comes out of old pagan beliefs that thought messengers from another world floated through the winter skies along with the souls of the dead. In Rothenburg ob der Tauber they’ve focused on maintaining the look of the original 15th century Christmas Market.

Some of the more classic markets include Nuremberg 's Christkindlesmarkt. The red and white ribbons on the Nuremburg stalls give it the title, “Little Town of Wood and Cloth;” Munich’s Marienplatz is the oldest of the city’s 17 Markets; Rothenbürg’s Reiterlesmarkt surrounds Neupfarr Church within the city’s medieval walls; the Striezelmarkt in Dresden features the Stollen parade, giant Christmas pyramids and Moravian paper stars; and with its folkloric situation in the foothills of the Black Forest the Christmas Market Baden-Baden offers a Fairytale Lane.

In 2013, the 10 most popular by visitation were in order: Cologne’s Roncalliplatz / Heumarkt with 4 million visitors, Dortmund’s Hansaplatz with 3.6 million, Stuttgart and Frankfurt each with 3 million, Munich’s ChristkindlMarket with 2.8 million, Dresden’s StriezelMarket with 2.5 million, Leipzig with 2.2 million, Nuremberg’s ChristkindlMarket with 2 million, Erfurt’s Domplatz with 2 million and Hamburg with 1.8 million.

While big cities in Germany usually have that medieval feel that takes the edge off urbanity, don’t skip the small towns and village markets. The Sorbian town of Bautzen and the Silesian town of Görlitz are filled with locally crafted treasures. In Annaberg-Buchholz goods from Bohemia, Poland and Silesia fill the markets.

Don’t let the stalls draped in garlands of pine with ribbons and bells selling handcrafted gifts and ornaments lead you to thinking this isn’t business. In Saxony’s Ore Mountain region, the wood turners who work much of the year creating nutcrackers, figurines, ornaments and toys to fill these market stalls are not elves. More than 150 markets in Germany last year attracted about 85 million visitors with the average visitor spending $15 per market visit.

An interactive map at the German Christmas Markets website helps you locate the nearest market to wherever you’re traveling in Germany.

The Markets opened this past weekend and will run through Christmas. If you’re headed to Germany or Europe, play it smart and dress more warmly than usual. The markets are going to make you want to be outdoors more than usually would in cold weather. As they say in Scandinavia, there is no such thing as bad weather; only inappropriate clothing. So dress to you enjoy one of the experiences that Europe simply does better than anyone else — Christmas Markets.