One day per market is adequate--just take a BIG shopping bag!

Hi:

I collect blown glass bird Christmas tree ornaments with feather tails. These are usually made in Germany. Are things like available at the markets?

Thanks, Katie

A friend of ours collects glass animals and had asked me to bring some back, but I had no luck--shops that looked as though they should have carried the animals had replaced usual stock with Christmas items. I think I saw a few glass birds at one of the markets we visited, but the ornaments were for the most part wooden or round glass ones.

Underhill:

Thanks!

Katie

Katie7-
For glass ornaments be sure to visit Lauscha, that is what they are famous for. Their Christmas market may be just the first two advent weekends, I'm not sure. Or just visit the studio of Michael Haberland where some of the glass birds you are interested in are made.

By far, the best market we went to was in Muenster (DE). Lots of traditional handcrafts, pretty old town, live music, mostly German crowd (but not too crowded).
The worst was Aachen's. Mostly imported junk and alcohol stands. So it was mobbed with drinkers. Many of the regular shops in the old town had far nicer merchandise. After about 20 minutes, my husband bolted for the Media Markt.

Nuremberg is by far the biggest and oldest in Germany. All throughout the city and sprinkled with lights and scenes.

FYI, the market in Berlin charges 2 euros entry fee.

I posted a trip report based on our own Weihnachtsmarkt tour done in Dec. of 2004 basically traveling from west to east across central Germany by auto. Click on my name to review for interest and more specific details.

To thetanker: the oldest in Germany is Dresden, not Nürnberg. Just for the record.

I liked those in small towns most. Freiberg, Annaberg-Buchholz, Schwarzenberg e.g.

Sulan:

Where is Michael Haberland located?

Thanks, Katie

Ingo: Finally! I couldn't believe it that no one had mentioned the Striezelmarkt at Dresden so far.

I haven't been to Nuernberg yet myself, so I cannot compare. Still, Dresden is among the best Christmas markets in Germany. This is where you get the real handmade woodcarvings from the Erzgebirge instead of Kaethe Wohlfahrt's 08/15 factory stuff which is sold everywhere. The city is worth a closer look, too, by the way. And when you get there, make sure you don't limit yourself to visiting the Striezelmarkt (the big, main market) - walk over to the palace and see the medieval market in the courtyard of the Stallburg as well. That one is very special in the evenings when it is lit by torches and candles only.

Katie7- Lauscha is in Thuringia, south of Erfurt. It is small,it may not be on some maps. Here is a link to Haberland's studio www.haberland-baumschmuck.de

Ya'll are making me very jealous. A good friend of mine from Arizona did this with her mother last year and just raved about it!!

Unfortunately, my husband has one of those jobs where he barely pokes his head up from Halloween until after the new year, so there is no way we can get away in December, but after he retires, we are SO there! This is one thing on my "gotta get there to see it" list!

TinaLee

TinaLee - leave your husband at home and go with a friend or relative!