One expat’s experience of the Hamburg Christmas Market. Happy Holidays! Photo Kristi Fuoco

Okay folks, I’m pretty sure I’ve found it….that’s right, the country that looks Christmas in the eye, says, “We know what to do with you” and then kicks some serious Christmas butt. I’d heard a thing or two about German Christmas markets, in fact I even spent one Christmas in Germany way back in 1999, but for some reason I was entirely unprepared for it this year and how I would become so completely and utterly smitten. I went to my first market in Hamburg on the first day it opened and was in complete awe—not only do I love markets in general, but here we are with markets around every corner, selling all sorts of heavenly food and drinks, fun crafts, and beautiful ornaments, and best of all, it is THE place to be in December. Clear your calendars for the next month because this is all you will be doing. Okay, maybe it’s all I’ve been doing anyways! I feel like all of the coldness of German culture and especially of Northern Europe melts away for this month and friends and family and co-workers and random strangers gather at the markets, filled with friendliness-enducing Glühwein, to just…..be together.