Rothenburg Christmas Market

We love this city.  It is one of the cutest most quaint cobbled street German cities around.   Some of us have been here multiple times this year – but we’ve never been for the Christmas market – until now.  Thanksgiving weekend is usually when they start.    Germans don’t have Thanksgiving but their ‘season of Advent’ begins with the fourth Sunday before Christmas.  This year that was November 27th – and the Christmas markets always open up the weekend before the first advent Sunday – perfect timing for Chris’ parents to get in a Christmas market before they flew home. 

Our Christmas market weather last year was just a bit… FREEZING so I was a little nervous about this year’s gloomy dreary FREEZING winter weather drawing near.  But today was nice and sunny with blue skies and 40 degree temperatures.  Totally do-able.  It was fantastic.  Christmas market season – here we come!

 

We wandered up one of the main streets popping in a few shops to look around.  Rothenburg has great shopping.  We grabbed some fried potatoes (you dip them in applesauce) that were delicious and then kept walking.  In the second square we loaded up on hot chocolate and crepes.  These were some of the best crepes we’ve tasted outside Paris (and London actually).  Nutella and white drizzled chocolate.  Yum! 

 

The view from Rothenberg’s garden to the rest of Rothenberg.

Blue eyed Matthew…

This group of Asian photographers were pretty funny to watch.  They were taking pictures of a couple walking hand in hand through the leaves – no one that they knew, of course.  A couple of them came up to my girls to take pictures of them as well.  Emily and Megan didn’t know what to do.  It was so funny.

  

One of the best things about a Christmas market is the food.  These bratwurst sandwiches were SO good!

 

This is the Kathe Wohlfahrt booth.  The epitome of German Christmas décor…

…with the town hall right behind.  Matthew and Luke enjoyed this little ride.

 

After wandering through the decorated streets a bit, we climbed the stairs and ‘walked the wall’ for a while.

In the main market area – now crowed with people for a parade and celebration.  Katie and I ran back to buy a souvenir Christmas market mug.  Each city’s Christmas Market sells their hot chocolate (and traditional hot drink with alcohol) in specially designed mugs just for their own city.  You can collect the mugs from each Christmas Market that you visit.  I didn’t pick up any last year but I think I might start.