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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Take a break! It s Labor Day!
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Cinco de Mayo
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Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and the Louvre Pyramid
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Where fire meets water
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Paleontology meets art
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A day for the oceans
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The Battle of the Bulge 75 years later
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A shell of many colors
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Red fox
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International Surfing Day
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A good time in the Badlands
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A hit ballet, long after its debut
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It s Teacher Appreciation Week
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75 years of the United Nations
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Belted Galloway cows
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World Bee Day
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A star blows a bubble
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Observing World Braille Day in Bavaria
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India Republic Day
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Guild houses of Grand-Place, Brussels, Belgium
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A river on the tundra
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Quebec City for Winter Carnival
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Happy Halloween!
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On this shore, history was made
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Bohemian waxwings in Canada
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A hero for the 21st century
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Let s face it: It s World Emoji Day
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San Francisco Bay salt flats
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Pont dArcole over the Seine river, Paris, France