Der Weihnachtsmarkt

Although Christmas decorations started appearing in the shops at the end of October, the holiday season in Germany really begins with the first Sunday of Advent. A clear sign of this is the opening of a Christmas market in most towns and cities. This is referred to as either der Weihnachtsmarkt, der Adventsmarkt, or der Christkindlesmarkt.

Hallo, ich bin auf dem Karlsruher Weihnachtsmarkt.

Hello, I am at the Karlsruhe Christmas Market.

Caption 1, Diane - auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt
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Der Advent, das ist die Zeit vor Weihnachten.

Advent, that is the time before Christmas.

Caption 3, Weihnachtsmärkte - mit Eva
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In the evenings, people gather on the town square or in an enclosed market hall to do Christmas shopping, listen to music, and eat and drink a number of winter specialties. These include savory dishes, but also many types of sweets, such as almonds roasted with sugar, which are served in a small paper bag.

... eine Tüte gebrannte Mandeln.

... a bag of almonds roasted with sugar.

Caption 48, Rhein-Main-TV - Eva Padberg beim Weihnachtseinkauf
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Selber gebackene Plätzchen. -Oh, lecker.

Home baked cookies. -Oh, delicious.

Caption 16, Unterwegs mit Cettina - auf dem Bruchsaler Weihnachtsmarkt
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A typical Weihnachtsmarkt has small wooden cabins or tables with heaters, stands selling assorted gifts and sweets, and rides for children. And of course, we should not forget the centerpiece: a large Christmas tree, known as der Tannenbaum or der Weihnachtsbaum.

Hier kann man schöne Weihnachtsgeschenke kaufen.

You can buy beautiful Christmas presents here.

Caption 14, Diane - auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt
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Einen Tannenbaum im Wasser zu schmücken...

To decorate a Christmas tree in the water...

Caption 7, Weihnachten geht baden - Tannenbaum unter Wasser
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Further Learning
Watch the Yabla German videos that have featured a Weihnachtsmarkt and take note of vocabulary related to things to eat and do there. This article on Wikipedia has an interesting overview of the history of the traditional Christmas market in Germany, as well as the tradition as it exists in other countries.