From November 19 - December 30, the non-profit organization "Outdoor Carmel Christkindlmarkt" hosts a German Christmas Market located in Carmel, Indiana. Each year, people from all over Indiana and the world visit booths to experience a true German Christmas. My family decided to attend on November 25th. It was an amazing experience with delicious food, drinks and caroling! Here are my top favorite things to do at the market.
1. Visit Toy Booths
When I first walked into the market, I was met with the beautiful craftsmanship of toys being sold in the main entryway booths. At these booths, Nussknackers (nutcrackers) and Werner Reifentiere/ Werner Spielzeug toys and figurines were on display. The beautiful Nussknackers had been made from legendary German brands, such as the Füchtner family. The Füchtner family has been making wooden art since the 1700s. Wilhelm Füchtner produced the first Erzgebirge nutcrackers in 1870 and his legacy has continued ever since. The Werner family creates wooden toys using the Reifendrehen, or “tire-turning” technique. This popular technique has been used since the 1800s. Reifentierr, or “tire animals,” are crafted from a large damp spruce wood on a wooden lathe. The maker then crafts the animal profile into the tire without any manual to create an amazing final product. At the booth, I got a sense of the love and craftsmanship that goes into the making of these toys.
2. heiße Schokolad
Not only is the food at the market delicious, but the drinks are too! Located towards the back of the market lies a hot chocolate, or heiße Schokolade, booth. Here, you have the option to decide on what type of chocolate you want in your cup. One aspect of the hot chocolate that I enjoyed was that it was not overpoweringly sweet. This meant that after finishing my drink, I still felt that I had room left to eat more German delicacies. In addition to hot chocolate, the booth also sold multiple fruits dipped in any chocolate of your choice.
3. Vogel German Lace
If you are looking for high-quality, unique gifts, this market is the place for you. At the Vogel German Lace booth, you can find traditional lace tablecloths and decorations. These hand-crafted treasures will enhance any Christmas dinner or event. The booth sells traditional German lace ornaments, like the nutcracker, snowflake, and seiffen church, as well as nontraditional lace gifts.
4. Lichterwald
Litchterwald, translated to Light Forest, is a display in the Christmas Market that shows off illuminated paper star lanterns, Moravian stars, and votive candle holders. Moravian stars are popular ornaments in Germany that have 26 points and are hung during the first Sunday of Advent. In Germany, Moravian stars are named after the Moravian Mother Protestant Community in Saxony, Germany, where they were first commercially produced.
5. Ice Rink Skating
The rink, located in the heart of the market, is a great place to view the booths while working on your ice skating skills. You are allocated to skate for 90 minutes with friends and family while watching the Christmas market go by. What doesn’t sound better than that?
I enjoyed a wonderful time at the Christmas market and would recommend it to anyone looking for fun, a good day out, and a small peek into another culture.
Sources:
Comments