Christmas market

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Christmas markets have recently started to appear in French cities (here, Toulouse).

In many towns in Germany and in Austria, Advent is usually ushered in with the opening of the town's Christmas market or Weihnachtsmarkt, in the southern parts of Germany and in Austria often also called Christkindlmarkt or Christkindelsmarkt (Ger. literally, Christ child market). Generally held in the town square and pedestrian zones, the market combines food and drink in the open air, shopping and pageantry as well as tradition. On opening night and, in some towns, every night, onlookers welcome the Christkind, or Christ child, in the form of a golden-haired angel played by a local youth.

Some of the most popular items at the Market are the Nativity Scene (also known as a crèche or crib); Zwetschgamännla (figures made of decorated dried plums); Nussknacker (carved Nutcrackers); Gebrannte Mandeln or candied, toasted almonds; assorted cookies like Lebkuchen and Magenbrot (both forms of soft gingerbread); Christstollen or Stollen, a sort of egg bread with candied fruit; and not least, Glühwein, hot mulled wine (with or without a shot of brandy), or Eierpunsch (an egg based warm alcoholic drink), to keep the body going in the cold winter air. Many other homemade crafts and toys, books, and (in recent years) more or less useful gadgets can be found at a Christkindlmarkt.

The most famous Christmas markets are held in the cities of Nuremberg, Dresden, and Stuttgart, making them very popular tourist stops. The Nuremberg and Dresden markets draw each year about two million, the Stuttgart market attracts more than three million visitors. Other well known markets are held in Cologne, Bonn, Lübeck and Vienna, Salzburg and Villach.

German immigrants to America brought the Christmas celebrations with them, and there are some Christkindlmarkt events held in the United States as well. Two examples are the Chicago Christkindl Market and the Denver Christkindl Market.

Strasbourg, France has been holding a Christmas market (Christkindelsmärik in Alsatian language) around its cathedral since 1570. It is believed that it is one of the oldest Christmas markets (with Nuremberg's first held in 1628, for example), although the city of Dresden claims that its Christmas market dates back to 1434. It draws each years between 1.5 and 2 millions visitors and has over 60 stalls. Christmas markets are traditional in Alsace and most of the towns have their local Christmas market. Colmar, Mulhouse and Selestat's Christmas markets are also famous.

A large Christmas market is held in Birmingham, England, with visiting traders from its twin city of Frankfurt. The market claims to be the biggest German Christmas market outside Germany and Austria with over 75 stalls in 2006.