Vienna’s Christmas Markets--Should You Go?

This is my first Christmas in Europe, so it’s my first time to visit Vienna’s Christmas markets. I have been to several of them this season, and they are every bit as lovely as I had imagined. I plan to go to several more. But why? I’ve finished my Christmas shopping, the weather’s colder than a witch’s elbow, and the crowds are massive. Why would an introvert put herself through that?

I’m going because Christmas markets are where it’s happening: they are the seasonal manifestation of community spirit.

We all want something authentic, something that lets us connect to real people. We want experiences that remind us that we’re members of the human race, not robots. We want to buy our loved ones something that they couldn’t find anywhere else. We want to eat something rare and special. We want to be with friends and strangers in comfort and joy. You can get all that at a European Christmas market.

Here’s how Vienna makes that community spirit happen.

Vienna’s Christmas markets are located in some of the city’s most beautiful places.

City Hall

Karlskirche

Kunsthistorisches Museum

Looking around at people enjoying themselves, and looking up at such beautiful architecture makes you grateful to be in such a civilized place.

You can buy adorable and unique items for your loved ones or for yourself.

Shhhhh don’t tell Sam I got him this hysterical eyeglasses holder.

Often, the artists and craftspeople are the ones manning their own stalls. They will tell you about the creative process, the ingredients, the details.

Cookies

Wooden smell-good balls

Ceramics & paintings

Ornaments

Coconut candle holders

You can eat and drink really delicious stuff.

Each Christmas market has stalls selling hot drinks and snacks. My favorite? Orangenpunsch! (That’s German for orange punch. See, German’s easy!) There’s rum and orange delectableness in there. Here’s the nice part--they give it to you in a beautiful ceramic mug, with a two Euro deposit, and when you’re done you give the mug back to any drink vender and they refund your two Euros. No tacky styrofoam or lifeless paper cups! In Europe, they like things to be lovely. And environmentally friendly.

The entertainment is worth the trip.

Where else could you find a horse and goat playing slavic folk music on accordians?

This carousel is made of junk and propelled by two guys riding bikes.

The organ grinder, while charming, was unfortunately playing The Chicken Dance. That’s why there’s no video, just the picture.

At the City Hall market, they announced a free concert. It took place inside City Hall, under this ceiling.

This year, it’s even more important to get together in public and enjoy ourselves. We not only celebrate the season, we celebrate our freedom and our rights by gathering outside with the rest of the humans. It’s not just an American thing, it’s a Free People Everywhere thing. There’s a lot of ugliness out there right now, and some people would like to scare us into thinking that they’re going to get the upper hand and take away life as we know It. When we go outside, when we treat strangers politely and respectfully, when we support local businesses and have food and drinks that somebody prepared over a fire right there in their stall, we do what humans do best. We live together and support each other.

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As I sat writing this, a truck plowed through a Berlin Christmas market just like the ones I visited this week in Vienna. My heart breaks for the victims, their loved ones, the city of Berlin, and our world.

What will I do differently now? I’ll be more careful, keep my eyes open, pay attention to the advice of local police.

What will I do the same? I’ll pray for peace and safety, hug my loved ones, and live my life.

I won’t die for a Christmas market, but I won’t live in fear.

If you don’t have a Christmas market to go to, pick your thing that celebrates the community where you are and go to it. Be sensible, be safe, and enjoy your life. Let’s keep being human together.