christmas markets from a to z

In the past month, I have had the luxury to immerse myself in some of the greatest Christmas markets - marchés de Noël or Weihnachtsmärkte - in Europe. The sights, sounds, smells, savors, and sensations of these marvels are so enthralling that I could not do it justice by writing it in a traditional fashion. So in order to provide a small glimpse of what this phenomenon is like, I have created an abécédaire consisting of French and German words that describe the wonders of the Christmas market.

Animaux

Goats, sheep, llamas, rabbits, and even chickens greet crowds of people.

Bretzel

Soft-breaded and salted goodness.

Crèche

Even secular countries like France still acknowledge the nativity.

Décorations

Ornamanents, Christmas bulbs, garland, and lights.

Eislaufen

Small but substantive ice skating rinks are found almost everywhere.

Fromage

Cheese is a necessity.

Gauffre

Smothered in Nutella, warm Belgian waffles are a perfect afternoon snack.

Hüte

Santa hats, Alsacian hats, stork hats, reindeer hats...

Illuminations

Lights, lights, lights!

Jouets

Toys for all the good little girls and boys.

Kugelhopf

A traditional Alsacien cake available sweet or savory.

Lebkuchen

Gingerbread cookie decorated with icing and various quotations.

Marrons chauds

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Nußknacker

Perfect gift for a nutcase.

Obst

All sorts of fruit either fresh or dried.

Père Noël

Father Christmas, or better known as Santa Claus.

Quartiers

Christmas markets are found in different corners of each town.

Regenschirme

Europeans have an odd habit of ducking under umbrellas when snow falls.

Santons

Little hand-painted figurines of various personnages for nativity scenes.

Tannenbaum

How lovely are thy branches.

Unité

Christmas markets promote peace and harmony.

Vin chaud

Mulled wine is a great way to warm up in the bitter cold.

Wurstwaren

Many types of sausages and meats available for a meal or a tasty snack.

Xtase

"Ecstasy"...because Christmas makes us all ecstatic.

Yulefest

"Julefest'"..because in German, Js are pronounced like Ys and I couldn't find anything else.

Zucker

Sugar and candy are part of a staple diet during the holiday season.

Please note that my German is subpar, so there are bound to be a few errors on that front.