German Christmas Markets

[sundance069]

Thank you for this wonderfull compliments about our christmas tradition....I'm glad too we stop the extreme commercialising which started but stopped.

[TinyArts]

We have that hanseatic feeling here in Sweden aswell

[Honeybea264]

Thank you for this lovely video. Fröhliche Weihnachten - Merry Christmas and a happy new year 2011.

[iheart2travel]

This video is the reason I went to Germany this year Nov.23-Dec.3, 2010. I'm from the United States and this was my first visit to Germany. I stayed in berlin and got to see alot of christmas markets. I was very impressed with the overwhelming christmas spirit. I posted some of the christmas markets I visited on my channel. I loved the ones at Alexanderplatz and Potdamerplatz.

[dellownerman]

I would love to see Germany at Christmas time or any time. Christmas in the US is just a commercial holiday that offers no culture value or feelings of being good to each other or feeling like a kid again enjoying the magic of Christmas. We don't even have that many Christmas festivals anymore. If someone is not part of a corporation they are not able to sell their things. At least Germany still takes pride in making things there. Made in America is more of a myth than Santa Klaus.

[TribeWantedGilligan]

well come with us! I moved here 12 years ago and now we make a pilgrimage to the best Christmas markets in Germany every year! It really evokes the true feeling of Christmas - meeting friends for a Glühwein, the smells of delicious food and candies... wonderful!

[Lintflas]

At least we contributed something positive to this world. The whole planet sings our christmas songs and the christmas tree also comes from Germany (1419 A.D.)

[Haruko95]

waaah i miss germany

[Schutzstaffel2015]

CHRISTmas

[dahsuerk]

Being a German American I have collected German Christmas ornaments and music all my life.  I would love to go to the Christmas markets.

[RheingoldxxL]

... Stollen from Dresden ... Marzipan from Luebeck ... Bratwuerscht from Nuernberg ...

i still love to live here in Germany ... so lecker and so good music!

[fairjumpertoo]

for a small bit of germany in the usa it is new ulm mn..you still hear german conversations at times..there was considerably much more of that about40 years ago...strong german heritage there...

[stewartx5]

Well, fast food restaurants are plentiful enough. Heidelberg has four McDonalds, two Pizza Huts, and several others. Also mom & pop style joints (pizza to bratwurst) nearly everywhere.

Regardless, Christmas here is indeed special. There is also something. This year, in the field behind our house, neighbor's daughter and her girlfriend (hardly know either) wrote us (in English) a giant Christmas greetings in the snow. Saw it (to our surprise) when we opened the window blinds.

[AkiZora]

I never knew, that a Christmas Market is something special. But yeah, its loveley an every year I'm happy again to see the market built up.

[scowy68]

Started going to the German Christmas markets in 2006.First one i went to was Cologne and that was me hooked,went to Cologne again the following year and to Munich last year.This year I'm taking the kids to Nuremberg and Christmas.$ weeks on Wednesday and i can honesty say i can't wait.The smell of the Gluwein and the Bratwurst,the beautiful hand made Christmas decorations and many other little things.I hope i can do this every December for the rest of my life.A truly magical experience.

[hopeurfree]

My wife and I went on our honeymoon to Italy and for some reason decided to take the train to Munich, where the Christmas Market was on. It snowed that night as we were walking around, huge snowflakes. It was like a living fairy tale as I was told it didn't snow often in mid-December in Munich. I miss that night, as it was one of those memories you will carry with you for life. We now have 6 year old twins and are planning a December trip so we can watch their little faces light up.

[edithcarballo]

@hopeurfree What a beautiful story! I hope you and your family make there this Christmas. That is definitively a night that must be repeated!

[hopeurfree]

@edithcarballo We will make it. It may not snow, for that moment might never be repeated. However, we will always have the memory. I have lived a charmed life, simple things can really make me happy. Christmas is a special time, if you have the chance, watch "Polar Express". Every year we also travel to Colorado Springs, Colorado. We go to the North Pole @ the foot of Pikes Peak. The kids spend half the time driving there making out their Christmas lists and handing them to Santa.

[hopeurfree]

@hopeurfree 10 years later, i still remember the snowfall. God, it was beautiful. we will be taking our 6 year old twins to Europe this winter for the Christmas Festivals, we will be going to Munich, i hope it snows for our children and us.

[Lintflas]

@hopeurfree

This year you will most certainly have white christmas across Germany. Actually we're already drowning in mountains of snow. I went to work by ski this morning. :-)

[dotyrs]

Been to Germany MANY times! Good friends there. Where else can you drive a car at 150 mph and not go to jail? ;-)

The Christmas markets are amazing! I have just started to make plans to go there this December!

So, if you see a slightly drunk Yank walking around, give me a break, OK?

[johnnyamorrison]

looks like heaven

[Imortalegend]

I love the

German christmas markets.Best in the world I always went to the one in Munich.

[richterstudios]

WOW! Color me sold.  I'm looking into booking tickets now. I used to love Christmas in America as a kid, but the culture has changed so much here. This video evokes the strong feelings I can remember experiencing as a kid during Christmas. Germany, here I come.

[P47RICK]

Amen.

[edithcarballo]

@richterstudios Yes, I agree with you! what can we do to bring the spirit to our continent?? I am now committed to creating it...I used to hate Christmas, but it is nice how some people just make the best out of it.

[eintitan2]

Christmas in Germany are the best =)

[mtgmantx]

Great video, I too am married to a wonderful German/Polish woman. The culture is very different than what we are used to here in the states. Much Richer cluture there. Very high taxes though, so each have it's own pluses and minuses.

[P47RICK]

well it depends, in Poland taxes are actually lower than in the us(depending on how much you earn).

[Hatchetman6971]

What they make and is unlike any place I've ever seen. The ginger cookies are great, and the hot wine ( gluewein ) is a learned experience for this American. The craftmanship on things sold that are so nice and remarkable. It's unlike anything commercial America is used to. I fell in love during Christmas time to the most beautiful woman in the world. Why she married me is unbelievable. 5' 10" tall blond and 130 lbs. of the neatest person. Those were the best days of my life. Live in Ohio now.

[Hatchetman6971]

I lived in Frankfurt and Hanau, and I married my Claudia there in Bavaria around Christmas time 1986. I lived there for 14 years and of course she all her life. There's many things I don't miss about Germany, the more leads all of them, like the Roemer Platz in Frankfurt at Christmas time. What a wonderful way for this corn cob county Ohioan to grow up in. These Christmas Markets are wonderful, where you see no greed by the children. Most German kids behave very well. The hand made stuff-best.

[P47RICK]

The only thing I didn't like about Germany are the high taxes, the weather and the lack of fast food restaurants. What did you dislike about Germany?

[marialisa88]

well you can't have fastfood restaurants at every corner, can you? And the weather isn't so bad. I like it actually

[P47RICK]

"well you can't have fastfood restaurants at every corner, can you?"

Have you ever been to America? ;)

[marialisa88]

No, but I know that there are many, many fastfood restaurants ; ) this summer i'm going to ny & denver :D jippie

[Philovideo]

Yea, plenty of fast food restaurants here in Denver!

[AkiZora]

Well, actually i think it's great, that we haven't a fast food restaurant in every corner like in America. Though in my opinion we really have enough.

By the way i don't like it that much and i think the fast food in the USA (well i can only speak of a few towns in California) is even more disgusting than in germany. I ate once Kentucky fried Chicken in LA and it was the most disgusting thing i've ever eaten. (well exept for the cheese macaroni from KFC i nearly got sick from)

[P47RICK]

Yeah there are enough fast food places but there is not as much of a variety that you get in the US. I couldn't find a single south-American/Mexican place ... Doner Kebab however was a great replacement.

[Hanauborn]

I understand what you are saying, but then again, German Restaurants are scarce in America, while Mexican/latin American influenced restarants are a dime a dozen, at least here in the South. And you don't exactly get high brow food at festivals/Fairs here in the US either and I LOVE a good schnitzel or wurst!

[P47RICK]

I suppose you have a point there. Even the ones I found weren't anywhere near the places I went to in Germany.

[Hanauborn]

;-)  They are around.....but it's like an Easter egg hunt!

[P47RICK]

If you ever come to LA you should try the red loin tavern. their food is almost authentic and they have a great selection of German beers

[Hanauborn]

Thanks!  Do you mean Red Lion? Red Loin sounds pretty bad! lol. If you ever come to Tampa Bay, there is one called Castle Restaurant, which is excellent too. The family is from Hamburg.

[P47RICK]

you're right, I meant to say Lion, heh.

[Hanauborn]

Happy Holidays P47RICK!

[P47RICK]

thanks, to you too.

[eintitan2]

Weather in Germany is Ok.

We have no Hurricanes or tsunamis^^

[P47RICK]

and no deadly wildlife either.

[Dulein]

The point of going to a foreign country is to enjoy what it has to offer. if you don't like the weather,& food. Stay Home! As far as fast food there are many kiosks serving fast food such as sausage and sandwiches. Just open your eyes. But for people with your attitude its better you just stay at home.!

[P47RICK]

Oh I enjoyed staying in Germany I just didn't like those two things about it- but guess what no country is perfect. I also didn't say the food and weather in Germany sucked, I just stated my personal opinion.

There are also things in the US that I dislike- but I feel that I should have the right to at least talk about these things without being put into one category with Joe the plumber.

[Hoeppe]

you're absolutely right. for me, being a happy german :), there's also some things we might wanna improve. you should just be able to express your opinion. i love being here and i love my country such as you do, I'm sure. but we're all citizens of the same world

[jimnkristy]

Only an American would say that.  Pretty sad.

[abxtpml56]

Sooooooo sweet

[byrdsmaniac]

OMG! That's beautiful!

[geraintgarcia]

Great video! I can't wait till I go to Germany for Christmas!