The Coburg Christmas Market in Germany. Photo by GNTO

You don’t have to be German to love traditional German Christmas Markets. The twinkling lights, merry music, hot mulled wine and tidy wooden vendor stalls are a favorite with everyone.

In fact, many visitors travel to Germany just for the Christmas markets alone. Read More: Christmas Along the Danube

The Coburg Christmas Market in Germany. Photo by GNTO
The Coburg Christmas Market in Germany. Photo by GNTO

Favorite German Christmas Market Traditions

Why are German Christmas markets so popular? Maybe it has to do with some of their beloved holiday traditions. Here are some of the reasons that people come back year after year during the holiday season:

Glühwein

Drinking Gluhwein is a favorite tradition. Photo by GNTO
Drinking Gluhwein is a favorite tradition. Photo by GNTO

It’s usually cold at Christmastime in Germany, but drinking hot mulled wine can help keep you warm. With its cinnamon, cloves and other spices, Glühwein just smells like Christmas.

Every Christmas market sells mulled wine and every German region has its own variation. Frankfurt, for instance, is famous for apple Glühwein, which is a mulled wine made with hard apple cider. Yummy!

Lebkuchen at Christmas Markets

Lebkuchen (gingerbread) from the town of Bremen. Photo by GNTO
Lebkuchen (gingerbread) from the town of Bremen. Photo by GNTO

While we’re talking of delicious traditions, we have to mention Lebkuchen, or gingerbread, as it’s called in English. One favorite type of Lebkuchen is Aachener Printen, which originated in the city of Aachen. The Aachener Printen und Schokoladenfabrik Henry Lambertz makes many varieties of Lebkuchen, including hard or soft options and even with herbs chocolate or nuts.

Founded in 1688, the company is the largest German producer of gingerbread cookies and also exports worldwide.

The Christmas markets in Aachen are famous for their Lebkuchen, but you’ll find Lebkuchen in every Christmas market in Germany.

The city of Nuremberg in the German region of Franconia is also famous for its Lebkuchen.

Advent Wreath/Advent Calendar

The town hall in Gengenbach is a life-size advent calendar. Photo by GNTO
The town hall in Gengenbach is a life-size advent calendar. Photo by GNTO

Walk through any German Christmas market, and you’ll see many different kinds of Advent wreaths or calendars.

What is Advent?

Advent is a Christian tradition that is celebrated during the four weeks before Christmas. It’s a time of anticipation and preparation and reflection of the coming Nativity.

Advent is a huge part of Christmas celebrations in Germany. A traditional Advent calendar is made out of a wreath of fir tree branches with 24 decorated boxes or bags hanging from it.

Best German Christmas Markets

Want to buy your own Advent Calendar? Check out our picks for the best Advent calendars from around the world here, which highlights creative Advent calendars like the HizoeChu Santa Bus Countdown calendar for the whole family to enjoy.

The boxes or bags represent each day before Christmas, and each one has a little present inside. Another part of the Advent tradition is the Adventskranz – the Advent wreath. On each Sunday before Christmas, a new candle on the Adventskranz is lit.

Christstollen

Christollen from Dresden. Photo by GNTO
Christollen from Dresden. Photo by GNTO

Stollen are delicious German Christmas cake rolls, and Dresden is most famous for them. The Striezelmarkt in Dresden is one of the best places to buy a traditional stollen. Stollen was first documented in 1474, and this festive fruit cake has been a Christmas favorite ever since then.

Zwetschgenmann

Zwetschgenmannle are made of nuts and dried fruit. Photo by GNTO
Zwetschgenmannle are made of nuts and dried fruit. Photo by GNTO

These peculiar little Christmas dolls are made of dried prunes and walnuts. This tradition goes back to the 17th century as a way of making gifts from the local harvest. The Zwetschgenmann (prune people) are a gesture of goodwill and are said to bring you good luck.

Nutcrackers at Christmas Markets

Nutcracker from the Erzgebirge mountains at the Christmas market. Photo by GNTO
Nutcrackers from the Erzgebirge mountains at the Christmas market. Photo by GNTO

Wooden carved ornaments are popular Christmas items; none are more beloved than nutcracker soldiers. These Christmas icons were invented in the Ore Mountains in Saxony.

You can find a variety of these delightful Christmas figures, from chefs to soldiers, here.

These days, the Striezelmarkt in Dresden and the Christmas market in Nuremberg are the best-known Christmas markets for wooden ornaments and nutcrackers.

Glass Tree Ornaments

German glass ornaments. Photo by GNTO
German glass ornaments. Photo by GNTO

Most German Christmas trees are filled with glass ornaments. The town of Lauscha is said to be the birthplace of Christmas tree decorations. Today, the Christmas markets in the state of Thuringia are best known for selling glass tree decorations.

If You Go

Read our Germany Travel Guide or see more travel destinations in Germany.

To learn more about Christmas markets in Germany, visit www.Germany.travel

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Janna Graber
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