Christkindlmarts!

One of my favorite things about Austria is their Christmas markets. They pop up all over Germany and Austria, and there are over 20 just in Vienna. The atmosphere is fascinating, inviting, and very unique to this area of the world: stands filled with Christmas ornaments, old-fashioned wooden toys, jewelery, hand-made smoking men; all kinds of warm goodies to nibble on, such as krapfen (Austrian filled donuts) and Kaiserschmarrn and crepes and huge pretzels; and best of all, warm Gluhwein and many varieties of Punsch (spiked punch and mulled wine).


We take our classes to the biggest, busiest (and most touristy) of the Christkindlmarkts every year - the Rathaus - and it's one of the highlights of the year. Vienna, as one of the best cities in the world to live, has wonderful opportunities for children all over the city. At the Christmas market, they have a whole winter wonderland set up inside the Rathaus (city hall) for the kids to make crafts. So we take our classes, let them walk around the market and perhaps buy something, and then they can make a craft of their choosing. This year my class chose to make pillowcases. What fun! :)


The Christkindlmarkts....just one of the thousands of reasons that I LOVE Vienna!