In terms of food, you will most commonly find bratwurst (German sausage), gebrannte mandeln (candied, toasted almonds), traditional Christmas cookies called lebkuchen and magenbrot, and occasionally food from other cultures, depending on the market. As soon as it gets cold in Germany, the mulled wine comes out; glühwein, which comes in red or white, is an extremely popular winter-time drink. It’s made with a sweetened and spiced wine that is then heated up and served warm. You can find it at several vendors at every Christmas market, usually served in a souvenir cup that you can keep.
The first Christmas markets date back to the Late Middle Ages in German-speaking parts of Europe and eastern regions of France. Early December is known as the advent season and these markets allowed citizens to stock up on meat and other things they needed at the beginning of the cold season. Starting in the 14th century, craftsmen including toy makers, basket weavers and confectioners would set up stalls under the name “Saint Nicholas market” to sell gifts for children. Stands would also offer roasted chestnuts, nuts and almonds. In the 20th century, these markets have become an integral custom to the pre-Christmas season.
Arising out of a material need to get the population prepared for the winter, the Christmas markets have evolved their purpose to provide some much-needed relief to the long, dark winter nights. Germany experiences cold and wet weather with very early sunsets (I think the sun set at 3:45 p.m.
