Ideas - Things to do instead of Christmas market, as this year is different

This time in the year we usually give you hints of beauteful Christmas markets. There are a few Corona secured outdoor markets open also this year but I guess you can or will not go there. I hope by this gives you new knowledge about Christmas Markets, Christmas ideas and websites to enjoy.

Christmas decorations sold on Markets is the biggest business for the UNESCO World Heritage site Erzgebirge. The picture on top is from their production. You probably recognize this type of Christmas decorations. Erzgebirge is a  Mountain area on the border between Germany and the Czech Republic. The highest mountins are Keilberg, which rises to 1,244 metres and the Fichtelberg in 1,215 metres above sea level. This area was contributing to Bronze Age and the earliest stages of the early modern transformation of mining and metallurgy from a craft to a large-scale industry, a process that preceded and enabled the later Industrial Revolution.

The villages in Erzgebirge are today a leading centre of wood and toy manufacturing. Here, all kind of wooden figures, like nutcrackers, hand-carved wooden trees, candle arches and Christmas pyramids are made. Read more about the area here.

This industry is suffering during the pandemic. It's a problem for Germany and the Cech Republic as people in this distant area may get unemployeed. If you like to support them you can use the link below to enjoy all the nice things they produce and maybe even purchase some items. 

🎄 This link is almost like a Virtual Christmas Market, here you can look at the products from the producers of the Erzgebirge. 😁  You see the producers on one left side and can see the items by type in the first column of this webpage.  

More comercial but still very nice and typical for German Christmas Markets are the Käthe Wohlfahrt shops. There is a shop in main street in Heidelberg which you most likely have seen if you have joined us for a trip to SAP in Walldorf. Käthe Wohlfahrt is always represented at German Christmas Markets. 🎄Here you find a link to the website, almost a Christmas Market Dream 😁 

Real Life Christmas Markets, I found as example these:

In Norway. The city Christmas Market is there but empty. An alternative is close to Oslo, the Hadeland Glassverk iwhich s open, they also offer a Christmas Shop, see link here. There is a Digital Christmas market, maybe this could be a fun thing to check out also even if you are non-Olso resident, see this link.  Else outdoor offers in Oslo see this link.

In Germany there seem to be some Christmas Markets open, see link

In Sweden, it seems Kolmården and Orsa are open whereas example Skansen in Stockholm has closed first time in 150 years.

In Denmark, it seems Tivoli and Zoo in Copenhagen are open, see link

And then there is Christmas Cookies (Weinachtsgebäck)

Stollen is very German and for me very much Christmas. Recepies for Stollen are found in chefkoch.de. Stollen should according to my old family recipe, you be baked in end November or beginning of December and then stored in a cold place to rest until Christmas. This makes the taste lovely. I'm happy to send you my recipe if of interest.

German Christmas Cookies are a must in my home. In the family we share the baking of 6 different Christmas cookies. Hildabrötchen picture above is one of my favorites and the cookie I make. See link for recipes I'm also happy to snd my family version of the recipe if your are interested.

Basler Leckerli, see above is an other one but here my Mother changed the recipe. If you are interested, I will share my family recipe.

I and my colleagues which you a fantastic First Advent and Christmas when we get as far …

Published by Eva-Maria Fahrer a fan of Christmas Markets, Christmas cookies and Christmas time in general.

I'm born in Germany and have relatives in the Heidelberg area with which I keep contact and miss we cant visit or invite.