Multiple people have told me that Germany is nothing short of magical during the holidays. Being here I can see why. While we ended up in this incredible, beautiful unknown place at this time purely by the coincidence of our timeline, I’m personally extremely glad it worked out the way it did. Obviously, being away from our family is tough this time of year but experiencing Germany and acquiring new traditions is giving us the extra holiday excitement and emotion everyone so desperately needs this time of year.
CHRISTMAS MARKETS (WEIHNACHTSMÄRKT)
The unique markets are the biggest tradition we have added on our list. There are over 30 of them around Berlin that I can count. They start building and preparing the markets in November and the very presence of them can’t help but put you on the fast track to Christmas spirit. Each market has local vendors selling foods and goods but no two of the markets are the same. Some have ice skating rinks, Ferris wheels or other carnival type rides, animal rides, live concerts and more. Some have themes such a Nordic, Fairytale, Medieval, etc. They even go the extra mile and build sit down restaurants where you can enjoy your dinner while watching your fellow market-goers pass by.
Oh, and did I mention the glüwein? It’s a mulled wine served hot to make your experience even more magical and help keep you warm as you walk around outside during the winter days. Your choice of glüwein is poured in each market’s own “souvenir” cup that’s personalized with the year and a unique graphic for its location. I’ve heard people collect the mugs as they work towards the goal of visiting each market – kind of reminds me of “Around the World” at EPCOT. I’ve seen some of the more seasoned market goers bring mugs from past years to dodge paying the deposit the sellers keep if you don’t return the mug after you’ve enjoyed your beverage. There are high-top wooden tables where you can stand to drink your glüwein or enjoy a bratwurst and some have fire pits in the center to give you that extra warmth. It’s been great to have something to look forward to every weekend, and even some weeknights, during the holiday season. We don’t need all them mugs, but we do have a goal to visit all the markets.
NIKOLAUSTAG
Another new tradition we are so happy to add is Nikolaustag. St. Nicholas (not to be confused with Santa Claus who the Germans call Weihnachtsmann) comes to Germany on December 6th. We didn’t find out about this particular tradition until the midnight prior but Annalina didn’t know the difference so we just “replayed” it the next day. Children leave clean and polished boots (or to some, just a boot so they don’t seem greedy) outside their door for St. Nicholas who visits the night before. When they wake in the morning, they either find gifts (sweets, toys, oranges) inside their boots if they’ve been good or branches if they’ve been bad. It was so funny to see Annalina worried about getting branches but of course, we kept assuring her she’d be fine and she was. Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, still comes on Christmas Eve and Annalina has more reasons to stay excited!
O TANNENBAUM
Picking out a Christmas tree and getting it set up has always been something we do together as a family. Most people here tend to not put up their tree until closer to Christmas day. One friend of ours even told us he knew someone who didn’t put it up until Christmas Eve! The salesman asked us on Thanksgiving weekend when we went to get ours if we were going to put it up right away – I mean, huh? But he just wanted to suggest ways to keep it alive. We’re definitely still keeping our tradition to put it up by the first week of December. I love having our tree up “early” – it just ties everything together along with all the other festivities happening.
The process of getting a tree is pretty much the same here but it’s “hauling it home” that makes it different. The most common size for trees here is not that much taller than Annalina and they’re reasonably priced. The size, being on the smaller side, is important because so few people have vehicles here. It’s such a sight to see people on the streets walking home with their tree, transporting it strapped to their bike or even carrying it onto the subway.
ADVENTSKALENDER
The adventskalender is also a huge tradition here. We started this in the simple, Americanized way with Annalina last year, but Germany’s version is madness and I love it. There are so many options to choose from that it is really hard to pick one. Annalina and I must have shopped and looked around 20 times or more before she finally had her heart set on the calendar for her. There were options to create your own complete with bag sets that are numbered and the teachers at school have them for the kids in their classroom. So fun! But come December 1, most of the shelves are emptied out and already being replaced by other holiday items.
The carol says, “there’s no place like home for the holidays.” That is very true, but it is equally important to realize that home can be wherever you are. Wherever our next home is, we will take the traditions we had and the traditions we are acquiring and continue to add more and more.
It’s great to have many ways and reasons to celebrate the holidays. Honestly, everything feels more slowly paced here because every day is a celebration and a countdown to the big day. I don’t feel nearly as overwhelmed as I did back in the states (I can’t speak for Robert, though). One evening, he and I were walking through a market and I’ll always remember when he asked me, “What’d we do in Florida before Christmas?” And without thinking I replied, “Spent a lot of money at the last minute and rushed around?” The stories of fighting Black Friday crowds and trying to find a parking place on Christmas Eve will not evoke any of the feelings that walking through the Christmas Markets with a warm mug of glüwein will.
Thanks for educating us La! Once again, such a great read!!! Looking forward to many more😀