My husband and I (both in our 50s) are planning a trip to Austria/Germany for 3 weeks beginning December 17. I have been searching and reading postings on this website. Here's what I'm thinking (I'm planning the trip and making reservations myself):
17-20 Fly into Munich and train to Vienna: Sunday Mass with Vienna Boys Choir; other suggestions?
20-23 Train to Munich: Christmas Markets; other suggestions?
23-27 Train to Salzburg: possibly stay at B&B AmMoos; Silent Night tour 24th; horse drawn sleigh ride tour 25th; Sound of Music tour 26th; other suggestions?
27-30 Suggestions?
30-Jan 2 New Years celebration in 915-colm castle hotel Mid Franconia or 781-hors Castle hotel Black Forest Germany (anyone know about these?)
Jan 2-5 Suggestions?
Jan 5 or 6 return to Munich and fly home

Does this sound do-able? I welcome any suggestions!

Since you are training from Munich to Vienna and back to Munich and then down to Salzburg and over to Black Forest and back to Munich you may want to investigate the Germany-Austria Railpass which will let you hop on nearly all trains in both countries at will - esp good when landing and wanting to take the next train from Munich's main station - railpass also valid on S-Bahn lines to the airport in Munich.

alternatives are online discounted tickets that you book far in advance to get as they are in sold in limited numbers and cannot be changed i believe nor refunded. But since you are traveling so much several of those may not be cheaper than the railpass and for the added flexibility that could be priceless. But for Bavarian travels you could also buy the Bayern Pass - allowing travel all over Bavaria on regional trains but not fast trains so like to Salzburg you may take an hour or so longer. But perhaps if you can get the SPAR type fares Munich to Vienna (train specific can't be changed) and Munich to Black Forest and back then with the Bavaria Pass it could be a bit cheaper. Anyway check it out.
For loads on train travel in both countries i always point out these Wunderbar IMO sites - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com. and for schedules in both countries (and all of Europe) check out the German Railways site - www.bahn.de - a wealth of info including platform numbers for your trains, what bus or tram to take from your hotel to train stations and also the online discount fares are indicated along with full fully flexibile fares to compare to a railpass.

Thanks so much, PalenQ! I have to admit the train issue has been the most confusing for me!

thanks for thanks

Silent Night tour 24th; horse drawn sleigh ride tour 25th>

wow sounds fantastic - I was in Munich a few years back during Christmas and i chanced into the huge church near the Marienplatz (where Mad Ludwig is buried) and happened to hear Silent Night being sung by a large choir - it was a surrealistic experience - and again in Rome a few days later on Jan 6th - the end of the Christmas time and heard it again in the Lateran church - again brought tears to my eyes.

An idea for a souvenier... since Joseph Mohr was born in Salzburg, I was looking for a Christmas ornament that said Silent Night on it. Couldn't find one in all of Salzburg!

I did find a large clear ball ornament with the Kapelle Oberndorf painted on it at The Christmas Store in Salzburg. So one of the store workers painted "Stille Nacht" around the top of the ornament and "Kapelle Oberndorf" around the bottom in a matching paint color for me.

Unfortunately, they only had 2 of these ornaments... so I gave them to my sisters and I ended up with nothing!

Thanks for the suggestion, joannyc! I'll be on the look-out.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good, reasonably priced hotel or B&B near city center in Vienna?

You may want to make a separate post about the Vienna hotel Q - to attract interest of Vienna experts who may not click on a general Germany-Austria thread.

Ok! I'll do that. Thanks for the tip!

Jan 2-5 Suggestions?

You could stop by Heidelberg for a few days - one of the nicest German towns i've seen and one with the castle of your dreams popping out of it. From there you could take a day trip to say Stuttgart if the Mercedes-Benz factory/museum tour fancies your interest or to Frankfurt if world-class museums are you bag - or to the Rhine gorge - K-D boats now run all year thru the famous Rhine Gorge - with the Lorelei, etc. www.k-d.com

Why train all the way to Vienna to spend only 2 nights? Seems like a lot of traveling and not much sightseeing. Consider at least an extra day in Vienna. I know you want to get to Salzburg-Oberndorf for Christmas eve, which is only a short distance from Salzburg. January 1 is a great time to be in Garmisch for the big ski jumping competition. Keep tweaking your plan, and you will find just the right combination that suits your needs!

17-20 Fly into Munich and train to Vienna: Sunday Mass with Vienna Boys Choir; other suggestions>

Are the horses at the Spanish Riding School doing rehearsals, which are a favorite for tourists to attend.