A Christmas Market in Germany

Over here, it is thought that the Germans do Christmas markets the best.   So this year on December 23rd, we decided to drive less than 2 hours to Aachen to experience the German tradition.  Aachen, itself, is a beautiful city with winding streets lined with shops, a pretty city square, and a gorgeous cathedral.  Add a Christmas market, and it is simply sublime!  

The German Christmas market consists of wooden stalls or huts that line the square and even wind down some of the shopping streets.  They are decorated in evergreen garland and twinkling lights.  The stalls typically sell local products, food, and drink.   At the market, you will always find things for the kids.  In Aachen, there were 2 carrousels.  The smell of German sausages, the taste of gluhwein, a little shopping, and the sound of Christmas carols over the speakers are sure to get even the scroogest of Scrooges in the Christmas spirit!

 

Stalls selling local products

 

 

 

In the city square

 

 

Can't pass one of these up!

 

 

The sausages are so long that they have to be folded over in the bun

 

 

 

Sampling Gluhwein for the adults and cocoa for the kiddies in souvenir cups

 

 

 

 

 

Carrousel time!

 

 

 

And a bouncing souvenir!

 

 

Stalls wind down by the cathedral

 

 

Another pretty square

 

 

 

Stayed long enough to see everything lit up

 

 

 

So festive!