Many people dream of whisking away to Germany for the beautiful markets and mulled wine in December. This year, I was fortunate enough to be able to experience the magic first hand. My husband had work in Hamburg, so I tagged along. My mom joined up with me and we explored around 15 markets in Hamburg, Dresden, and Leipzig. If you've ever wondered what these German Christmas markets are really like, here is my experience.
Every city has multiple markets.
If you visit a small town there may just be one market, but in the cities you'll find at least four or five different markets running at the same time. Markets tend to be found in the center of the city, in front of a rathaus (city hall), and in the surrounding areas. Some neighborhoods also have their own markets. Hamburg has a total of 13 markets throughout November and December. While I was in town about seven or eight were in operation because a few of them only last for a few days.
Each market is a little unique.
While every market is filled with glühwein (mulled wine), bratwursts, crepes, and shopping, each market has it's own unique spin. The booths in each market have a specific look. The mugs for your glühwein have a design for the specific market. My mom collected at least 10 different mugs.
Some markets have full-on themes. For example, Hamburg has an erotic themed market in their red light district filled with naked Santas. Dresden and Leipzig each have a medieval themed market. The booths, shops, mugs, and music all reflex the medieval theme. Here you'll find plain terra cotta mugs for your wine and handmade rope for sale. Food is cooked in wood fire ovens and banners hang with various family crests.
There is no shortage of food and drink.
The most popular thing to drink in a Christmas market is the glühwein. And you can find a booth just about every 15 feet. At the booth you'll see a variety of drink options. There is always at least one alcohol free option of hot fruit punch. Many times you can get hot chocolate or cider. There are different options for the wine, too. Some come with an extra shot of liquor, and some come with different fruit flavors. There will be standing tables next to the booth, so that you can stay there with your mug. Or you can continue walking around the market mug-in-hand. Either way, you can return your mug to any booth within the market to get 3 euros back (each market has a special mug that most the booths use), or keep the mug as a souvenir.
Almost as common as the wine are the sausage stands. Sausage smells waft through the entire market, and it's easy to pick one up as a snack. You'll need to choose between about five varietals like bratwurst, frankfurter, and in the north, currywurst (chopped up franks covered in a bbq sauce). You'll be served your sausage in a tiny bread roll that covers only about a fourth of the meat. It's more of a tool for holding the sausage. Ketchup and mustard are always available.
You can also find crepes, sandwiches (in the north, mostly fish sandwiches), roasted chestnuts, beignets, gummy candies, pastries, candied nuts, and giant cookies with messages inscribed in frosting. You won't go hungry here, especially if you have a sweet tooth.
Most markets run all day.
Running from about 10 in the morning until 10 at night, I've found that on weekdays the markets are less crowded during the day. Once people get off of work and the Christmas lights come on, some markets can get so crowded that it's difficult to even make your way through. If you're interested more in shopping, go during the day. If you're more interested in drinking, go at night for a festive party with plenty of snacks.
Children dress in complete snowsuits, whether or not there is snow.
I found this little detail in Germany adorable. Almost every child up to the age of 5 was dressed in a full snowsuit - like the kind in A Christmas Story when Randy protests, "I can't put my arms down!"
You can't help but get in the Christmas spirit.
Seriously. It's a really fun and magical experience that is so Christmassy you can't help but smile. When it started snowing on us one day in Hamburg, I could barely contain my holiday joy. No matter how much of a bah humbug you think you are, once you have a sip of glühwein in the cold December air, surrounded by the sights and smells of the market, everyone around you laughing and smiling, you will feel ready to belt out every verse of Jingle Bells.
