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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Art abounds at the Palais Garnier
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A toast to California!
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Dressed to impress
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Wind Cave National Park celebrates 120 years
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Castle Square, Old Town, Warsaw, Poland
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Dubrovnik, Croatia
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Is this Minecraft headquarters?
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Easter Sunday
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National Take a Hike Day
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World Meteorological Day
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Penguin Awareness Day
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Iceberg off the coast of Antarctica
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Art Basel Miami Beach
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Unearthing a queen s lost tale
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The story of a rediscovered redwood
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National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
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Sandstone formations in the badlands near Caineville, Utah
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Unbearable cuteness
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Przewalskis horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia
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Legacy mural in Philadelphia
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Castle Day Japan
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South Padre Island, Texas
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Extraterrestrial Culture Day
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Great Backyard Bird Count
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Sleep tight, little hedgehog
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Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
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Oktoberfest
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Halo around the sun
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Traveling warblers
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Trullo buildings in Alberobello, Apulia, Italy
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

