In the summer of 1984, my parents and I moved our cat and a fair amount of our personal belongings to Germany where we lived for the next four years.  At that particular time, it was called “West Germany” because there was a massive wall dividing the country in two parts: east and west.  Some of the many mental souvenirs I treasure from my childhood in Europe involve the various festivals or, as they are known in Germany, “die feste”.  Today, I see similar events of this type all over Spain (festa major) and I am delighted to be able to share them with my daughter and create more memories we can both enjoy.  

Another traditional European experience is the market.  There are flower markets, fruit and vegetable markets, meat and cheese markets, bread markets and markets that combine various wares across a multitude of stalls.  Some markets are like the U.S. flea markets where people sell books, jewelry, handmade crafts, vintage items, clothing and a variety of knick knacks using tables or temporary stalls to display their wares in a large, open plaza at a pre-determined date and time.  The most well-known of all these markets is probably the German Christmas market (Weihnachtsmarkt or  Christkindlmarkt).  They are so popular that now, nearly 600 years after their inception, these holiday markets can be found in almost every European country offering their own local cultural influence on the experience.

In December, Allita and I had the opportunity to visit a very good friend who periodically finds herself in southern Germany near Switzerland and France.  She picked us up from the Zurich airport on a Friday evening and we drove to the small town of Neuenburg, Germany for a long weekend visit.  Although, we had recently seen her during a layover at the same airport some months prior, our giggling, girlish chatter was incessant on the drive and even well into the evening at the hotel.  We had so much fun, my face was sore the next morning from all the laughter we had shared the prior night.  Isn’t it wonderful having joyful, fun and loving people in your life?  How lucky we are.  

The plan was to spend the weekend together.  Which is exactly what we did.  However, we also took the time to visit several of the different Christmas markets in the nearby region.  Our first morning, we went to the market in Basel, Switzerland.  Crossing the border from Germany into Switzerland was easier than finding a parking spot in heart of the old city.  Although Basel is a large and busy place on a normal day, it was clear that much of this traffic was due to the popularity of the Christmas market spread across the old burgh.  In fact, we later discovered this to be true for every city and market we visited with the exception of the tiny market in Neuenberg, which we walked to from our nearby hotel.  

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In Basel, little wooden stalls were lined up on the cozy streets and filled with beautiful, yet pricey, wares.  We were already aware that our shopping experience in Switzerland would be limited primarily to “window” as the other markets in Germany and France would be much more affordable.  Still, we did plenty of looking.  It was so lovely and there was a lot to see.  Because it was Switzerland, there was a large array of the most intricately crafted chocolates.  These candies were small works of beautiful yet delicious art.  Just stepping up to a stall filled with chocolate works was enough to take your breath away.  Even Allita, who is renown for her resounding vocals, whispered reverently “wow!” as her head rotated in all directions trying to see every possible sight.  We decided that some of the candies were too pretty to even eat.  

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Next, we visited Freiburg Im Breisgau.  Back across the friendly border and back into the line for the parking garage, we drove.  This time, it was much easier to find a stall selling the delicious Glühwein I was craving.  Glühwein is a winter beverage that is very popular in this region.  As a youth, we were allowed to drink it when we went skiing in the Alps.  It’s alcoholic, so there was some pleasure taken in the perceived naughtiness of consuming such beverages as a teen.  More importantly, it is warm whereas everything else is quite cold and, in some cases, numb.  From the first sip, the warmth of the rich, tasty beverage permeates every chilly corner of your body and restores some of your vigor. Glühwein is a mulled wine served almost hot that can be purchased red or white (I prefer red) and, at these markets, is generally distributed in a collectable cup with a lovely little holiday or local, traditional decoration on the sides.  Some cups are simple plastic versions while others are glass mugs with handles.  Each vendor has a different style container for their very similar beverage.  My friend and I enjoyed a bit of it as we strolled along in the chilly weather.   Allita preferred the “cacau” or hot chocolate beverage served in a similar mug but decidedly non-alcoholic and much sweeter.   

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The following day, we were joined by another local friend and drove into France to visit the Christmas market in Colmar.  The border is a river, so crossing it was as easy as driving over a bridge. As with the markets in Freiburg Im Breisgau and Basel, this too was a sprawling affair with many tiny temporary stalls set up to sell various wares, including freshly prepared foods and beverages. Similar to Frieburg Im Breisgau, the Colmar market also housed a small festival area for children with rides and games.  The French market had some slight differences such as, some of the more expensive and precious goods were sold inside a warehouse-type building that offered more crowd control and security as well as protection from the elements.   Additionally, the market in Colmar was massive and stretched all over the entire town.  In fact, we were offered a map so that we could be sure not to miss any buildings or less conspicuous areas inside where the market was hidden.  Further, the food was typical French, with crepes instead of brötchen, many different types of cheeses and, rather than streusel, there was plenty of pâte feuilletée (puff pastry) filled with various cremes, jams and other delights.  We walked, shopped and ate until we were exhausted. It was a whole-body holiday experience for certain!

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We were sad to leave Zurich that Monday, even though Allita was arriving late for school, which is always a treat.  We had so much fun visiting the Christmas markets but enjoyed even more the time spent with our lovely friend.  All-in-all, it was the perfect experience creating the very type of memories I cherish.  Exactly what everyone should be doing during the holiday season, right?