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European Christmas Markets - a Taste of Old Europe

by Judith
(Milwaukee, WI)

If you love the Christmas holiday, immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of the season at a European Christmas Market.

The old European towns of Nuremberg, Bratislava, and Budapest - and many others - host old-fashioned Christmas markets to celebrate the season.

Many of our Christmas celebrations are grounded in the traditions of some of our European ancestors. Nutcrackers, mulled wine - even our Christmas trees - are all European traditions.

The Christmas markets of Europe are a walk back in time, to the narrow streets many of our great-grandparents wandered. The foods, crafts, and gifts available there are reminiscent of those our great-grandparents would have enjoyed.

Many of the markets have been held annually for centuries (the oldest, in Dresden, began in the 1400's!). The markets were traditionally located in the town square, often near the church - the intention was to attract buyers after church services, but some clergymen complained that the markets were so popular, parishioners skipped services to shop!

These markets are unabashedly Christmas - celebrating both the Christian tradition and the secular, "Santa/Kris Kringle" tradition. These markets may be open only a few days, but most are open for weeks, generally during the entire Advent season. They are a cacophony of sights, sounds, and smells of the season.

Christmas music mingles with the smells of roasting chestnuts, mulled wine, and gingerbread, while each stall offers colorful wooden toys, blown glass ornaments, painted nutcrackers, knitted woolen socks and mittens, and many, many, more holiday treats and gifts! It would be hard not to get caught up in the spirit of the holiday!

The best way to enjoy the markets is on a river cruise. When you're not shopping the markets or exploring the town, you'll be relaxing in a comfortable river cruise ship, watching the world go by as you sip hot chocolate in the lounge or your cabin - much better than the seat of a bus! The cruises visit as many as 5 or more towns, each with its own traditional Christmas market.

Despite the chill, you'll be charmed by the warmth of the seasonal markets!