Santa Klaus

Berlin Air introduces you to this christmas wonderland before you even arrive!

With Klaus being the most popular male surname in Germany, it is no surprise that the country truly comes to life and overflows with holiday spirit when Christmas comes around. Still, I’m unsure if ‘overflowing holiday spirit’, nor any cliché statement for excitement (i.e. kid in a candy shop), depicts an accurate image of German Christmastime.

Berlin Christmas tree in front of Brandenburg Gate

Christmas tree in front of Parliament

International Christmas tree at Checkpoint Charlie (checkpoint during Cold War between West Berlin and Communist East Berlin)

transformation of menorah to christmas tree: Jewish Museum

Me in front/on the Pergamon Altar (c. 300 BC)

I went to Berlin last weekend to visit my friend Zach (Zach Maher, YSC/SY ’13) who is currently working in Berlin teaching English as a Fulbright Scholar. We had an incredible time together and I really loved being able to explore Berlin and have me show him around his city, his home away from home. We saw the Berlin wall in every form (original, reconstructed, painted murals, brick memorials of where it used to stand), most of Berlin’s most treasured museums, holocaust memorials, German parliament, abandoned warehouses, a children’s circus, and so so much more. I was thoroughly impressed by the city and the kind hospitality of everyone there, regardless of the city’s dim history.

fragments of the original Berlin Wall

Zach and I at the Crystal Dome in Parliament

walking through the holocaust memorial (pictured on the right): varying heights are meant to give the impression of gradual disillusion and disorientation

abandoned building exploring

However, all of these exciting Berlin must-do not compare to the plethora of Christmas markets we constantly encountered. Imagine being stuck in a Christmas movie where every turn leads to another candy filled, ornament lined side-street. Now multiply the by ten. We are starting to get somewhere. Berlin is a city of large holiday markets that swallow you as you step inside scatter throughout the center of the city and accompany every major site. They stretch on beyond site and are covered with wooden kiosks, each carved with different Christmas themes, from good ol’ St. Nick to the nativity. Some have carnivals—full size carnivals with Ferris wheels and Youth Fair rides—while others are strictly dedicated to creating a market winter wonderland. But apart from the occasional carnival, most central markets are essentially alike, and equally addictive. 

merry-go-round at market

Christmas spirit...and then some

There are two types of stands at a Christmas market: food and gifts. Classic German fare lines every ornament and trinket and there is no doubt what season each represent. Yet, the best part of a Christmas market is not something tangible—and no, it’s not the Christmas spirit either—it’s the smell!! A vast majority of market kiosks serve Christmas treats of some sort, creating an incomparable sensory sensation. Every 2-3 stands serve glühwein, a mulled wine typical to the German holiday season, while others sell holiday sweets (candied apples, spiced nuts, German pastries) or hearty snacks (bratwurst, currywurst, cabbage). Just taking a stroll through the market is a treat for your senses. But the occasional indulgence is, of course, a must.

chocolate covered chilies!!! (this pic is for you, Matt)

spinning nativity

markets!

ice skating rink in the market! note: the small girl in red to the right using a "penguin" to teach her how to skate. adorable. 

eggnog in mini-cones!

Determined to branch out a bit, we ventured to one market, in particular, that only happens the second Sunday of each year and donates its profits to a local charity. All gifts are hand made and unique, thereby setting it apart slightly from the others. But not too much. Christmas is Christmas, after all.

and more eggnog

I will, reluctantly, admit that by the end of my 6^th market, I was ready for a break. Still, to anyone planning a trip to Berlin, December is the time to go. Soak up that holiday spirit (and scents!) and indulge in some delicious treats. And if the cold is too much for you, glühwein is there to warm your hands. And then head to a beach getaway after your trip to defrost. That’s my plan at least—Miami, here I come.