Weihnachtsmärkte and St. Nikolaus

During the night of September 5 a special person comes to all the children of Germany.

His name is St. Nikolaus. In the U.S., Santa and St. Nicholas are one in the same, but here in Deutschland they are separate entities. Children put out their shoes or boots the night of the 5th. If they have been good children, they will find treats and small presents brought by St. Nikolaus. If they have not behaved and were not helpful they will find a switch. Bad children may even receive a visit from Krampus, who saves the very worst children for the main course at Christmas dinner. Don't you love these Germans?


Weihnachtsmarkt


Of course if St. Nikolaus came, it also means the Weihnachtsmärkte are in full swing! Russell has been in China all week at a conference presenting two papers, so I was on my own. What better excuse is there for swinging through the Weihnachtsmärkte. Münster is a little famous for their many Christmas markets. There are seven or eight small and medium sized markets here and they are all packed full of people. Have you ever been to Times Square at Christmas time? It is that crowded, at least after about 4 PM.

We went soon after the boys came home from school, so we were able to avoid the worst of the crowds.

Hot food and drink are common commodities around the markets. Many booths sell different versions of a popular drink called Glüwein. It is similar to mulled wine, but not as sweet. Many booths sell this drink in several versions - with alcohol as well as without. It is called Kinderpunch when it is alcohol free. Most drinks cost between 1.50 euro to 3 euros. You can also buy hot chocolate (heiße Kakao) and a few other hot drinks, most with alcohol. The drinks come in a ceramic mug that you must pay a deposit for. There is an official mug each year that many people opt to keep. This year, the official mug was teal green and the people were not pleased. Paton had his heiße Kakao in a mug from a previous year.

The day was pretty cold, so we headed right over to a drink stand Russell and I had already tried another day. It was one of the more popular stands because of it's good prices.

On our way through the various markets we visited that day we were amazed to see the variety of food and things you could buy. Want to buy a pelt of fur? No problem. Want some cured meat? Got it.

How about some toasted and seasoned almonds (Mandeln)? Mit Zimt (cinnamon)?

 Maybe some roasted chestnuts are more to your liking.

Of course, there are plenty of toys to keep your attention.

A few Christmas decorations could be just what you are looking for.

Come on, you know you would love to take this piglet home.

Just as we were about to leave, we noticed a booth selling hot drinks and donuts!

I think one of my favorite purchases was this incense burning Santa. The incense is hidden inside

We had so much fun roaming the various markets and practicing our German.