Christmas on display
Above/featured: Annual “Lights of Hope” display at St. Paul’s Hospital: Vancouver, BC – 24 Nov 2018 (X70).
Display (noun):• a performance, show, or event staged for public entertainment.
• a collection of objects arranged for public viewing.e.g., a display of Christmas lights, food, and drink in an open public venue.
In Germany, there is no admission charge to any of the multiple Christmas markets in a town or city, and there are no restricted drinking areas, as you’ll see people carrying mugs of hot steaming goodness up and down the open streets. But all the same, it’s about the lights; it’s about food, drink, and frivolity; and it’s all the better if it’s snowing or there’s a few centimetres of the white fluffy stuff on the ground.
Is there a Christmas market where you live or where you’re going to visit? Enjoy the display, and please have a Glühwein for me.
Or two. Or three.
Berlin, Germany
Little spheres of colour, at the market next to the Gedächtniskirche (Memorial Church) – 6 Dec 2012 (450D).
Mug filled with hot red-wine Glühwein, at the market next to the Gedächtniskirche (Memorial Church) – 6 Dec 2012 (iPT4).
Cologne, Germany
St. Nicholas village at Rudolphplatz – 30 Nov 2015 (6D1).
Dresden, Germany
Smoked salmon specialty from Finland’s Kainuu region: Augustusmarkt at Neustädter Markt – 21 Dec 2012 (450D).
Frankfurt, Germany
Choices for drinks, at Römerberg square – 18 Dec 2010 (450D).
Heidelberg, Germany (Gundel)
A favourite from my adopted hometown, the annual selection of Christmas baked goods from Cafe Gundel is always impressive.
Gluten- and lactose-free Basler Bruns, made with chocolate and crushed hazelnuts and almonds (Gundel: 25-26 Nov 2014, 6D1).
Zimtsterne | No-flour cinnamon stars with crushed almonds (Gundel: 25-26 Nov 2014, 6D1).
Liebesknochen | Éclairs filled with nougat creme (Gundel: 25-26 Nov 2014, 6D1).
Koblenz, Germany
Hang out and stay warm at Münzplatz – 26 Nov 2015 (6D1).
Leipzig, Germany
Massive deep-fried potato pancakes, served with a generous dollop of apple sauce – Leipziger Markt, 2 Dec 2014 (6D1).
Chocolate and fudge, to try and take away – Leipziger Markt, 2 Dec 2014 (6D1).
Munich (Schwabing), Germany
Handmade wares from Eichenau and Pasing: Schwabing market at Münchner Freiheit – 10 Dec 2012 (450D).
Potsdam, Germany
Nosh and quaff, from the stalls in front of the Peter-Paul-Kirche – 8 Dec 2015 (6D1).
Prague, Czech Republic
A sparkly angel heralds the way, at Old Town Square – 4 Dec 2008 (450D).
Vancouver, BC
Herrnhuter Sterne: stars made in Germany on display at Vancouver Christmas Market – 24 Nov 2018 (X70).
Spätzle (egg noodles) with butter, Emmenthaler cheese, carmelized onions, pickled cucumbers, fresh parsley: Das Spätzle Haus – 24 Nov 2018 (X70).
Worms, Germany
Lehmann’s Glühwein Stadl – 21 Nov 2015 (6D1) … always look for the word “Glühwein” …
At various markets between 2010 and 2018, I made the pictures above with a Canon XSi/450D (450D), Canon 6D mark 1 (6D1), and Fujifilm X70 (X70). Alle Fotoaufnahmen sind mit Wasserzeichen versehen worden. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com as https://wp.me/p1BIdT-gi4. Acknowledgements go to Amy for LAPC no.76 (14 to 20 Dec 2019).
Fotoeins Fotografie 
17 Responses to “Christmas on display”
Thank you, Henry for this fun tour of these markets! Delicious Christmas sweets and beautiful decorations. 🙂
Beautifully captured!
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Hi and thanks, Amy! Happy holidays!
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Same to you, Henry!
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I love the sheen on the paving tiles in that last shot. 🙂 🙂 Perhaps I could indulge in a chocolate biscuit… or two? Merry Christmas!
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Hi and thanks, Johanna. Rain- or snow-showers aren’t out of the question for this time of year throughout Germany, and with many cities’ “Old Town” area laden with cobblestones for pedestrian-only zones, there’s going to be a lot of sheen on the stonework. Then again, I see the sheen, and I’ll remember how “slippery” the roads can be. As for the biscuits, if only there was some kind of rapid (and by rapid, I mean “instant”) distribution around the world! Happy holidays!
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So many pretty places to visit, so much on display for Christmas! Beautiful, Henry!
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Hi and thanks, Ann Christine: happy holidays!
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♥ To you as well!
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Oh I loved all those Christmas Markets, all over Germany, made me remind of the times when I lived in Germany. It’s all so festive and full of culture.
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Hi, Cornelia. When it’s dark and cold outside, I find myself thinking about the markets, about how I’d like to go back and forth, from one market to another, enjoying the lights and watching people, with a mug of Glühwein in hand. Because as soon as I’ll arrive at the next market, the mug is ice cold, and it’s time to “freshen up” the mug with hot alcohol again. Happy holidays!
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That’s called like Christmas Market hopping,, how wonderful to get all the Christmas spirit in, with all the Gluehwein. Happy holidays to you too.
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Wow. Excellent selections! Well done.
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Thanks, John: happy holidays!
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You too. Thank you.
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[…] • Christmas on display (LAPC). […]
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Heya Henry. Great post! My goal for Christmas 2020 was to spend a few weeks in Europe exploring Christmas markets in Germany and Switzerland and photographing everything along the way. The pandemic, of course, put the kibosh on that. Maybe this year? Until then, I’m living vicariously through your excellent Xmas market-themed posts. They’re the next best things to actually being there! So, big thanks for that!
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Hi, Stephen, and thanks for your kind words. I hope we can all get healthy and we can get back to some sort of travel again soon. In years past, I tended to visit Germany in late-November and early-December which is the start of “Weihnachtsmarkt.” But I also realized that with preparations beginning in early-November, I wasn’t seeing some towns or cities as they were the other 10 months of the year; in some cases, I “had” to go back and visit in spring or early-fall: the ultimate in 1st-world problems! But with Weihnachtsmarkt, there’s nothing like cutting the chill with Glühwein in all sorts of different flavours, and soak up the alcohol with a serving of grilled sausage and fried potato pancakes (larger flatter hash browns) with either apple sauce (Apfelmus) or creamy garlic sauce (Knoblauchsosse). And oh yeah, special baking for the season: you might also want to check out what one of my favourite cafés in Heidelberg produces for Christmas: here. Happy viewing! 😋
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