MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND A HAPPY NEW TO ONE AND ALL!!

This Tree Lady is always present every year during the Christkindlmarkt or Christmas Market in Nuremberg..I had seen her three times already...

copyright photo by: Euroangel

copyright photo by: EuroangelThe decorative woods on sale during the Christmas Market In Nuremberg, Germany. I took this photo last December 2007...sorry wrong cam date..

Attractions and Stalls

Popular attractions at the market include the Nativity Scene (a crèche or crib), Zwetschgamännla (figures made of decorated dried plums), Nussknacker (carved Nutcrackers), Gebrannte Mandeln (candied, toasted almonds), traditional Christmas cookies such as Lebkuchen and Magenbrot (both forms of soft gingerbread), Christstollen (Stollen), a sort of egg bread with candied fruit, Bratwurst, and for many visitors one of the highlights of the market: Glühwein, hot mulled wine (with or without a shot of brandy), or Eierpunsch (an egg-based warm alcoholic drink). Both help stave off the cold winter air which sometimes dips below freezing. Many other handmade items, toys, books, Christmas tree decorations and ornaments (and in recent years less useful gadgets) can be found at a Christkindlmarkt..

copyright photo by: EuroangelThis photo was taken from last year's Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany. It is one of the stalls selling selling Christmas decors. There are hundreds of stalls here selling different kinds of goods like clothes, food, christmas decors and a lot more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_market

The history of Christmas markets goes back to the Late Middle Ages in the German speaking part of Europe. The Dresden Christmas market - first held in 1434 is often (incorrectly) said to be the oldest Christmas market. It attracts between 1.5 and 2 million visitors a year and has over 60 stalls.[1] It is very unlikely that Dresden market is really the oldest as the city was a small town in 1434 and other cities earned market rights. One example is Bautzen Christmas market which was first mentioned in records in 1384. The Vienna "December market" was a kind of forerunner of the Christmas market and dates back to 1294.

In many towns in Germany and Austria, Advent is usually ushered in with the opening of the Christmas market or "Weihnachtsmarkt". In southern Germany and Austria it is also sometimes called a "Christkind(e)l(s)markt" (South Ger., literally meaning "Christ child market"). Generally held on the town square and adjacent pedestrian zones, the market sells food and drink from open-air stalls with other seasonal items and traditional singing and dancing. On opening nights (and in some towns more often) onlookers welcome the "Christkind", or boy Jesus, acted out by a local child.

It is the first day of December now. During this time Christmas markets in different places and cities in Germany are already starting. The famous one is in Nuremberg which is around one hour from us by train. This photo I had here was from last year. Sorry guys, the camera date was not corrected. Hope to share more photos for this year's Christmas Market in Nuremberg and other places too!! merry Christmas to all!!

here is a little info about Christmas Market...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_market

A Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, Christkindlmarket, and Weihnachtsmarkt, is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas during advent, mainly the four weeks preceding Christmas Day. These markets originated in Germany and Austria but are now being held in many other countries.

Taken in the Old City of Munich. You see that Cathedral Tower, that is the famous and historical Frauenkirche or the Church of Our Lady.

Munich's Geography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich

Munich lies on the elevated plains of Upper Bavaria, about 50 km north of the northern edge of the Alps, at an altitude of about 520 m ASL. The local rivers are the Isar and the Würm. Munich is situated in the Northern Alpine Foreland. The northern part of this sandy plateau includes a highly fertile flint area which is no longer affected by the folding processes found in the Alps, while the southern part is covered by morainic hills. In between there are fields of fluvio-glacial out-wash, like around Munich. Wherever these deposits get thinner, the ground water can permeate the gravel surface and flood the area, leading to marshes as in the north of Munich.