Christmas market time!
When the days get darker in the dreary month of November and the wet cold dampens the mood, I go to the Christmas market before the winter blues gets a hold of me. Around the Münsterplatz in Bonn, wooden stalls are set up and create a cosy atmosphere with Christmas decorations and bright lights. The enticing aromas of mulled wine, cinnamon, roasted almonds and delicious food inevitably lift the spirits.
At the foot of the Bonn Minster, the city is teeming with life, but at the same time it feels homely . I feel transported back in time and imagine how our Bonn ancestors came to this square in the late Middle Ages to stock up on supplies for the coming winter, to enjoy good food and drink and, of course, to exchange the latest gossip.
Today, more than half a millennium later, it is not much different. In a large part of the 160 wooden stalls placed between Remigiusplatz, Münsterplatz and Friedensplatz, you can buy beautiful and useful items, including hand-made crafts, which make for great Christmas presents for family and friends. Here you will find unique items that are not available in the usual department stores. Inspired by the lovingly decorated displays, you’ll discover gifts that you would never have thought of while lounging on your sofa at home. For example, original jewellery pendants or maybe hand-knitted socks made of pure wool for your daughter, who always has cold feet? And for your girlfriend, who already has everything, a new Christmas ornament is always a hit! And of course, every once in a while I need a little refreshment. The Flammlachs (salmon cooked on an open fire) smells seductive, but I usually return to the Rhine-region classic, Reibekuchen, potatoe pancakes with apple compote. In addition, the sounds of Christmas can be heard from everywhere. The happy laughter of children coming from the direction of the historic carousel reminds me of the dear little ones in my family. For them, I have to make a choice between a handcrafted wooden toy and a cute Perlgraupentier (a figurine of a German miner). Slowly, the shopping bag I brought with me is proving not big enough. But I don’t need to worry because one of the traditional stalls has a selection of beautiful baskets: I have been eyeing them for a long time. No sooner said than done – now I just have to get the hand-made wrapping paper and my Christmas market tour will be a roaring success.
A toast is in order! Relaxing as Christmas approaches, I treat myself to an eggnog, a drink made from white wine, egg liqueur, vanilla and sugar, served hot and garnished with whipped cream. It actually sounds rather fearsome, but it is surprisingly delicious and hits the spot. The fact that I’m standing here alone doesn’t bother me at all. Because we are in the Rhineland it takes no time at all before I am chatting with a fellow eggnog-drinker about the Christmas season.
Of course, this will not be my only visit to a Christmas market. Like so many, I will meet up with friends for a mulled wine on numerous occasions throughout the season. It sweetens up the dreary weather – and when it’s bitter cold outside, the drinks taste even better!
And soon, I’ll be going to the Bonn Greeters’ Christmas market meet-up, which takes place every year. We’ll be swapping anecdotes and information, taking a stroll through the rows of stalls and sampling the wares at various stands. Of course, it’s all preparation for when we show guests around the market, as Christmas markets are one of the top points of interest.
The Christmas market is open until 22 December, with stalls open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and food and drink stalls open until 9:30 p.m. on Sundays to Thursdays, and until 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. And for those who don’t want to leave the cosy setting so quickly, Bonn Tourism has planned a Three Kings market this year for the first time, which will extend beyond the pre-Christmas period. It will take place on Remigiusplatz from 27 December up to and including Monday, 6 January.
I, the only member of the Greeter family living in Sonnenpütz, supplies the homemade apple puree that is often served with it. I make it using the old apple variety ‘Kaiser Wilhelm’ that are growing in my garden in Kessenich.
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