Of all the wonderful memories I have of Christmas past, one of the fondest is from spending Christmas in Germany. Stationed about thirty miles from Nurnberg, a visit to the famous Nurnberg Christkindlesmarkt was a special treat. It was a Christmas showplace of decorations and special toys, many made from wood including carved pieces, jewelry as well as wonderful booths offering food and drink. Located right in the heart of the old medieval city, one could picture what it must have been like hundreds of years earlier, but only if you substituted candles and lanterns for electricity in your mind's eye.
As one who loves to eat, I especially enjoyed the homemade bratwurst on a roll with hot mustard, accompanied by a special Christmas seasonal beverage, gluhwein. Starting from a red wine base, gluhwein includes sugar, spices, oranges and cloves in a concoction served hot in a glass cup similar to a large coffee cup. But you had to be careful, for on a cold and frequently snowy day, the warm, sweet concoction would quickly go to your head. It was a good idea to have a designated driver in tow for the ride home.
Local gasthofs near the marketplace also had wonderful full meals available and many times we would sit for hours near a warm fire after hours of wandering through the booths and displays. It made for a great holiday Saturday and offered a wonderful opportunity to find something special made of wood that the Bavarians and their southern Austrian neighbors are so noted for.
It's been many years since I was last in Germany, but the three-plus years spent there in military service during the 1970s will always be remembered fondly. Sadly, I hear that in recent years things are not what they used to be and that most of the festivals have been significantly impacted by the violence that is so present today. I pray that the good German people are able to successful return things to a normal setting with the beauty of Germany available again for all good people to see first hand. And I would put a visit at Christmastime to the Christkindlesmarkt in Nurnberg at the top of the list.
Enjoy the Christmas season wherever you are and always remember what it means to all of us. God bless you all and Merry Christmas.
As one who loves to eat, I especially enjoyed the homemade bratwurst on a roll with hot mustard, accompanied by a special Christmas seasonal beverage, gluhwein. Starting from a red wine base, gluhwein includes sugar, spices, oranges and cloves in a concoction served hot in a glass cup similar to a large coffee cup. But you had to be careful, for on a cold and frequently snowy day, the warm, sweet concoction would quickly go to your head. It was a good idea to have a designated driver in tow for the ride home.
Local gasthofs near the marketplace also had wonderful full meals available and many times we would sit for hours near a warm fire after hours of wandering through the booths and displays. It made for a great holiday Saturday and offered a wonderful opportunity to find something special made of wood that the Bavarians and their southern Austrian neighbors are so noted for.
It's been many years since I was last in Germany, but the three-plus years spent there in military service during the 1970s will always be remembered fondly. Sadly, I hear that in recent years things are not what they used to be and that most of the festivals have been significantly impacted by the violence that is so present today. I pray that the good German people are able to successful return things to a normal setting with the beauty of Germany available again for all good people to see first hand. And I would put a visit at Christmastime to the Christkindlesmarkt in Nurnberg at the top of the list.
Enjoy the Christmas season wherever you are and always remember what it means to all of us. God bless you all and Merry Christmas.
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