Today, I'll start you off with another small German lesson! If you can figure out what these words mean, you'll have an idea of the tradition I want to talk about today!
1) Weihnachtsmarkt
2) Schnee
3) Dezember
This week, I learned about one of Austria's most beloved traditions: the Weihnachtsmarkt! This is a yearly tradition that takes place during the month of Dezember, leading up to Weihnachten on December 25th (have you figured out what these words mean yet?) Christmas markets can be found in almost every city, not just in Austria, but also Germany, Switzerland, and many other European countries. These special markets are made up of small wooden stalls selling everything from homemade crafts and decorations to freshly baked pastries and sweets. You can get a yummy snack and buy some Christmas presents all in the same place.
The tradition of Christmas markets is hundreds of years old, as villages would have midwinter markets for people to come buy the food and goods they needed and couldn't make themselves. Over time, this became a way to celebrate the season leading up to Christmas, or the Advent, as it is often called here.
