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
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Welcome to ‘Hollywood North’
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Happy Pi Day!
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An uncommonly cool critter
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Happy Thanksgiving
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Modica, Sicily, Italy
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Bathing huts in Skåne County, Sweden
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Have fun storming the castle
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An island hopper s paradise
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Wat Sri Sawai in Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand
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The Feathers at Frenchman Coulee near Vantage, Washington
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Happy Halloween!
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Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
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Valentines Day
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Shi Shi Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington
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Water colors
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What s going on in this sky?
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Burrowing owls
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Panda Day
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Alaska Day
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Oymyakon, Russia
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Caribbean flamingos, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico
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Spring comes to the Palouse
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The glowing waters of the Matsu Islands
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Almond trees in full bloom, California
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All is silent for Big Ben’s musical milestone
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Okavango Delta, Botswana
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National Hummingbird Day
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International Day for Monuments and Sites
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The Door County Coastal Byway in Wisconsin
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Joshua Tree National Park