BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture German Culture Germany's Christmas Markets are in full swing

Francine, such a lovely article with the nice pictures. This gives a very vivid image of what it is like to stroll through the Christmas Markets and pick up some beautiful gifts -- not to mention the wonderful foods and such.

I enjoyed reading and dreaming of being there, shopping, snacking, admiring all the hand-crafted items and just being in an atmosphere of cheerful people and the season.

Excellent descriptions & conveyance of the holiday atomosphere in the town squares. Although it's been a mere week, the memories were awaken with this article.

Liebkuchen (spiced ginderbread cookies) made up a major portion of our booty from the Christmas Markets. Of course, I've mentioned the gluehwein & how the family now has a 6-pack of coffe cups to remember each of the cities we visited (4 in Germany - 2 in Austria).

Even witnessed the Krampus ritual in Salzberg, but it seems like it was a bit earlier than expected. Thought the wife was going to be grabbed & sacked... Maybe the Bavarian/Tyrolian tradition of the Krampus would make an excellent article for the season.

Am so glad you enjoyed the article Phyllis, and am sure you will make the trip to see it for yourself one day...........it is something to look forward to..........I mean if we are still planning cocktails on the moon am sure we can also fit in a quick trip to the Christmas Markets.

The photos are super aren't they................now let's think, who was it who helped me to 'crack the picture codes', Hmmmmmm? Thanks Phyllis.

You are most welcome, Francine. That was fun working with you on the image coding.

Cocktails on the moon? Is another journey planned? I will have to go check Mona's forum. I am ready to go. I could use a good cocktail or two and "spacing out" will help some also.

Super you had some good memories 'clicked' Beetle, and great you enjoyed the article..........you have been there so you could have given it 0 marks out of 10 after all.

Yes would like to cover Austria's Krampus, think I will ask if Austria can be added to Germany sometimes when it is a topic like that. It is a German speaking country after all, with much the same history and customs.

Krampus is really ugly and frightening, or he is normally at least, don't know about the one who wanted to grab and sack your wife, and he makes Bavaria's Knecht Ruprecht, Servant Ruprecht, who I mentioned briefly in the German Culture St. Nicholas article, look positively handsome.

Krampus and Knecht Ruprecht are tied to the St. Nicholas holiday on December 5th/6th, they are his helpers and in Holland it is Zwarte Piet, Black Peter.

Originally they all had the job of putting 'naughty' children into sacks, no wonder youngsters used to be so afraid of them.

Kindly, smiling Santa Claus is a whole different ball game isn't he?

I can think of a few beastly guys I would not mind coming after me, but the Krampus? No, thanks! Did you fend him off, Beetle?



Krampus wikipedia creative commons

I think it would make a great article. Austria and Germany are so close in their cultures and history it would be ok, I think.

Yes Krampus is quite a 'Looker' isn't he Phyllis and that is a great picture of him. Being faced with that is guaranteed to frighten youngsters into being 'nice not naughty' I would think.

The Bavarian equivalent as St. Nicholas's side kick, Knecht Ruprecht, is not quite as frightening to look at, but nevertheless he also was supposed to load really badly behaved kids into his sack and throw them into the river.

Not really what we think of as being holiday spirit these days.

Did I fend them off? Naw... they were too busy chasing the bad kids...