My wife and I will be traveling around Germany from December 2 - 9. Our plan is to visit Dresden (have a meeting on the 4th), Salzburg (with friends, should be able to see the makret when it opens, but heading to Munich that night), Munich and then make day trips to Fussen (Neuschwanstein) and probably Nurnberg and/or Wurzburg before heading to Frankfurt for our flight home.

At each location we should have at least some time to see the Christmas markets

I would like opinions on unique items that can be found at the Christmas markets in any or these areas. Part of the trip is scouting things for a Church bookstore, so religious items are of interest as well as just cool Christmas stuff in general.

Ive been to the Munich Christkindlmarkt int he past, as well as the Kipplermarkt, but thats about it

Thanks for your help

Personally,it is the food and gluwein(sp?) that I love. I have found that I can find all of the beautiful Christmas trinkets cheaper here in the states.
For example= Nutcrackers-TJ Maxx,smokers-Tuesday Morning,ornaments-Crate and Barrel and the list goes on.Seriously,with the exchange of euros versus the dollars I would just enjoy the atmosphere and food.

I visited German Christmas markets last year. My favorite purchases were wooden ornaments with a "Made in Germany" tag, and the name of the town where I bought them painted on the front. I gave several as gifts and kept the rest. Light, easy to pack, and not breakable. I did buy one large decorated glass ornament with a scene of Heidelberg, which is where I spent the majority of my time. Fortunately, it didn't break on the flight home.

I also like the wooden or pewter ornaments with the name of the town or city on them. Use the rest of your time for crepes & gluwein.

I wish I was going to the markets again this year. (sigh)

One of my favorites is a large many-sided, lighted advent star, which I hang outside. You can find one in Dresden, I'm sure. (I don't remember where I bought mine. Maybe Annaberg.) If you drive around that area you will see one in almost every house. They collapse so are easy to bring back.

Another is a 'bogen or wooden carved arch with a scene on it. It goes in the window. Also from Dresden area but you can find them many places.

Another favorite is a tacky Santa which attaches to my chimney. The tour guide in Quedlingburg was disgusted when I said I wanted one. I had seen them all over and I can guarantee you that ours is the only house in Bend, OR that has one. They are cheap and light weight (and very different from anything you find here) but it brings back such fond memories.

Of course, the hand-painted ornaments are special.

In Salzburg there is a store that sells nothing but painted eggs. Quite a sight to see.
Have a great trip. You will find your own 'treasures." CJ

IMO, a Christmas pyramid from the Erzgebirge is the most special item. They are available at every Christmas market in different sizes. For other items, just browse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_pyramid

BTW, Santa Claus has nothing to do with Christmas. Christmas is the day when Jesus was born, while Santa Claus was a benevolent bishop in Myra.

Santa Claus' day is December 6th, and it is severely celebrated in Germany, because legend says that Santa Claus brought gifts to children.

Dresden and surroundings: Erzgebirge woodcarvings. Factory stuff will be available all over the country and probably also in the States, but look for handmade stuff. Nutcrackers, pyramids, Schwibbogen, Räuchermännchen, miniature wooden figures...
Herrnhut stars. Make sure you get the authentic ones from Herrnhut community in the blue boxes. The Herrnhuters have stalls on several markets where they sell them. The real ones have a characteristic shape with 17 square and 8 triangular stars. They come in outdoor (plastic) and indoor (paper) varieties. These might be a suitable item for your church store, but they are not cheap.

Nürnberg's traditional products include:
Tinsel angels
Zwetschgemo - figures made of dried plums and figs and a walnut as head. The original one is 'nude' but they have them in dress-ups of many professions, soccer fans etc. etc. - quite cute.
Gingerbread, often packed in pretty tins with pictures of old Nürnberg which can be used for other purposes when the content is gone.
Straw stars - though these are available elsewhere too.

Salzburg's painted eggs cause a questioning look in Germany because to us eggs are a decoration for Easter but not for Christmas. No German hangs eggs on a Christmas tree. Traditions are different...

Christmas ornaments are available everywhere. The delicate glass ones are difficult to transport, though. Woodcarved things to hang on the tree are easier to handle.

Glühwein cups. When you have a Glühwein you pay deposit for the cup, usually 2 €, so keeping it is morally okay, you have paid for it.

Nativity items hand carved from wood might be an interesting possibility for you. The stables, the animals, the people, and other things to set around it. I don't think I have ever seen anything like these in the US.

The Erzgebirge things are beautiful, so look for a stand that sells those. They won't often have things mixed in together. Either they have the genuine made in Germany stuff, or the imitations from other countries. I like the tree ornaments as well as the smokers and pyramids. They also have tiny miniture things, like a church inside of a walnut shell, or tiny scenes inside of a match box.

Hand blown Christmas ornaments are great too, and they come in every sort of color, shape, design, and size. From animals, to fruit, to veggies, to very traditional.

Also look for: Hand made wooden toys and puzzles, wonderful hand puppets, hand-made pottery oil lamps full of fantasy, knitted items, sheepskin gloves and foot warmers, and the little houses that you put candles in. Most cities will have these that look like some of the historic building in the city. You may even find cookie cutters that look like these buildings.

You already received so many excellent tips.

In Dresden: Pyramids, nutcrackers, smoker men, candle arches (Schwibbogen) all from the Erzgebirge, hand made. You won't find any imitations from other countries on Dresden's markets, it's against the rules.

The 'Pflaumentoffel' (similar to the one quokka listed for Nuremberg) is also a local specialty.

Definitely a star from Herrnhut.

Hand made/blown glass items from Lauscha.

I.

OK, not in Germany, but in Salzburg... I was looking all over for an ornament with Silent Night on it since Joseph Mohr who penned the poem was born there and it was first performed in nearby Oberndorf. Nothing to be found!

But, at the Christmas in Salzburg store, I found a handpainted ornament of Kappelle Oberndorf although there was nothing on the ornament to indicate this. So, one of the very helpful shop ladies, wrote around the top of the ornament "Stille Nacht" and around the bottom "Kappelle Oberndorf" in lovely handwriting in a paint that matched the ornament!

They only had two of these ornaments left so my two sisters received them as souveniers and I didn't get one!

Thanks all. Keep 'em coming.