The streets of this market square are all decked out in a tradition born nearly 700 years ago. Weihnachtsmarkte or Christkindlmarkte (Christmas markets, if you prefer less of a mouthful), take place around the world, but they originated in Germany as a celebratory way to observe Advent, the Christian season leading up to Christmas Eve. These markets are generally open-air affairs where everything is decorated, including the trees (called Tannenbaums in German if they"re firs). People shop from local artisans who sell their handmade wares in small wooden chalets. Then it"s off to eat traditional foods—roasted almonds, pastries, and biscuits—and sip on warm mulled wine.
It’s Weihnachtsmarkt time!
Today in History
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South Beach in Miami Beach, Florida
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For the love of bikes
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Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting
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European hedgehog in Sussex, England
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Here we honor the women who ve served
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Mount Pico, Portugal
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World Oceans Day
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Bridge of Hillsborough County
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Lakeside serenity in Finland
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Santorini, Greece
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Mitsumata blossoms
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Penguin Awareness Day
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These laurels are hardy
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Protecting endangered giants
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From pirate port to nature preserve
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A bridge too Fawr
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Toledo, Spain
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Salzburg, Austria
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Did they forget to fly south?
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Happy Birthday, Eiffel Tower
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The Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italy
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A new tradition in London
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Cousins Day
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The eloquence of elephants
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50 years of World Heritage Sites
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Combating extinction with citizen science
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A peak in the clouds
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Wychwood Forest, Oxfordshire, England
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Albion Falls, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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A bull, some flowers, and a stratovolcano