Last minute dash for some fun holiday shopping

[The Patriot]

Last minute dash for some fun holiday shopping

12-13-2010 01:29 AM

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Mon, 2010-12-13 09:27


Last minute dash for some fun holiday shopping


Heather Joy


feature_story_photo:
The Christmas Market in the old quarter of Annaberg-Buchholz. Photo courtesy of germany-tourism.de






Last minute dash for some fun holiday shopping

Heather Joy

Christmas is less than two weeks away so now is the time to make plans to catch a bus, grab a train or fuel up the car for a trip to the illuminated, enchanted lands that wait.

Start in Aachen a mere four hours by train from London where visitors can try a local specialty, Printen, a type of gingerbread with almonds, orange peel and a sugary glaze. The market area around the cathedral and town hall is a festive mix of light, color and people. While the children enjoy a turn on the elegant carousel sit back and enjoy a potato fritter and mulled wine.

A short commuter train ride away, the city of Cologne offers six Christmas markets. Browse the wooden pavilions that sit in the shadows of the cathedrals two 515-foot-tall spires selling sweets, mulled wine and handicrafts at the Cathedral market.

Head to the heart of the old town for the Alter Markt where children of all ages will find Santa Claus’ grotto, toy stands and puppet theaters. Other options include Cologne’s oldest market Neumarkt for a bit of nostalgia or Rudolfplatz to see large fairy tale figures.

Live music is performed twice daily on a stage in front of the Kurhaus during Baden Baden’s Christkindelsmarkt. Here visitors will also have the opportunity to visit the living crèche with lambs, sheep and a shepherd.

In Bremen the town hall is the backdrop for a Christmas market packed with Bavarian delicacies and fish specialties. Outside the Bremen Ethnological Museum visit the fairytale world of ice and snow where 50 artists from all over the world will be recreating 30 scenes from Charles Dickens Christmas Carol using hundreds of tons of ice and snow.

In Hamburg visitors will find both hand crafted and mass produced items among the stalls that crowd the city’s largest square. Children will enjoy watching for Santa Claus to appear above the roofs of the market cottages with his sleigh and reindeer.

Shop for baked goods, tree angels, ornaments and more from the red and white cloth topped wooden stalls in Nuremberg’s market. Don’t forget to purchase Plum People, little figures made from prunes.

Before heading back to England be sure visit the Christmas market in Bonn to purchase beeswax candles and to watch the old town hall become an advent calendar - lighting up one more window each day.









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