There is nothing like being immersed in medieval splendour to remind one that people have been doing Christmassy things for a very long time.
In Prague’s Old Town Square, the first of my stops to investigate Central European Christmas markets, I am surrounded by the town hall, the site of two famous instances of throwing politicians out the window (1419 and 1618); the wonderful astronomical clock (built in 1410); the baroque Church of St. Nicholas (1704); and the Gothic spires of the Church of Our Lady Before Týn (1380).
Historians argue about the date of the first Christmas market. Some say Vienna’s December fair of 1296 was the earliest, others say it was Bautzen, in Saxony, in 1384, while still others point to Dresden in 1434. There is no doubt, however, that shopping in outdoor venues for seasonal food, toys, and gifts has been going on for centuries, spreading from the German-speaking lands to the rest of Europe and, now, around the world.
Such markets reached a peak of popularity in the 19th century, but were hit by the rise of department stores whose mass-produced goods were cheaper than hand-made items and which offered what seemed to be a more elegant setting for consumption than outdoor booths. By the early 20th century, Christmas markets were seen as scruffy, rowdy, and lower-class. Astonishingly, what saved them, at least in Germany, was the rise of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s—the Nazis disliked department stores, which they believed were Jewish-owned, and encouraged citizens to patronize local merchants. They revived and glamorized the Berlin and Nuremberg Christmas markets, making them experiential sites for nostalgia, community feelings, and sentiment rather than mere commercial exchanges.
After World War II the popularity of Christmas markets spread, and today they serve as major tourist attractions, some in dramatic settings such as Vienna’s Rathausplatz or the Schönbrunn Palace, with stalls selling regional food and drink, ornaments, clothing, toys, and souvenirs. Visitors can also experience light shows, listen to Christmas music, go ice skating, watch Christmas tree lightings, see artisans at work at forges or looms, and ride Ferris wheels.
Most European cities will hold multiple markets, some large and impressive, some on a smaller scale meant for local shoppers. To travel, as I did recently, from one country’s offerings to another is to see both the national and regional differences on display and the international appeal of Christmas.
Every visitor to a Christmas market is going to be assaulted by waves of wonderful aromas emanating from vats of soup, spits of roasting pork, and ovens full of gingerbread. Every eye will be caught by the pans of toasted chestnuts, rows of chocolates, heaps of dumplings (sweet and savoury), and stacks of giant pretzels. In Prague you will be enticed by the sight of trdelniki (variously translated as funnel cake, chimney cake, or spit cake), a delicious sugary confection which can be filled with ice cream, Nutella, chocolate or nuts. You can taste them, as well, in Bratislava, Vienna, and Budapest—and everywhere you will be assured that this treat was invented locally and copied by jealous neighbouring countries.
Everywhere, you will be tempted by flatbread and potato pancakes but the toppings will intriguingly vary—try them with pulled pork, sour cream, cheeses of various sorts, or bacon and onion. Central Europe is heaven for sausage-lovers, and those who go for the barbecued klobása in Czechia will find the zatocená pikantná klobása, the twisted spicy sausage of Slovakia, the Käsekreiner of Austria, and the paprika-flavoured Hungarian gyulai equally alluring.
In Prague try the carp soup, in Bratislava sample the goose, in Vienna the Christstollen, and in Budapest, don’t miss the goulash. Mulled wine is going to be delightfully different from market to market and it is often served in souvenir mugs which can be retained. (There is a commitment to sustainability on display in all of these markets. Emphasis is placed on the local sourcing of food and goods on sale, and on using recyclable material for wrapping or utensils.)
If the visitor is looking to bring home a unique but inexpensive reminder of a Central European Christmas market, look for oplátky in Prague (called oblátky in Bratislava). These are unleavened wafers in a variety of sweet flavours, stamped with images of the Nativity or some other Christmas scene. It is traditional at the Christmas Eve meal for the father of the family to break off the first piece and then to pass it around the table while prayers are said and good wishes expressed.
In Budapest, don’t pass by the szaloncukor, chocolates filled with jelly or fondant wrapped in shiny coloured foil and used to decorate the Christmas tree. Collectors of snow globes will appreciate the fact that they were invented in Vienna and are plentiful at Christmas markets in that city. Those with larger budgets might wish to come away with handmade wooden Czech nativity scenes, embroidered ethnic table cloths from Slovakia, Austrian glass ornaments, or Hungarian ceramics.
Despite the term Christkindlmarket—the Christ Child Market—do not expect to be overwhelmed by any Christian religiosity in these places. There will be an obligatory life-size replica of the Bethlehem manger scene somewhere on the premises (and the largest of the Vienna markets has some modern takes on the Nativity by Austrian artists) but these are largely secular venues. A visitor is more likely to hear Eartha Kitt singing “Santa Baby” over the loudspeakers than “Silent Night.”
And do not expect to see much evidence of Santa Claus, either. The Christmas gift-bringer in Central Europe is usually St. Nicholas or the Baby Jesus and his angels, so local carvers have little time for the North American Santa. They are more likely to produce Nutcracker figures or images of the Russian-inspired Grandfather Frost as tokens of the season.
So what are they selling, these purveyors of food and drink and tokens of Christmas past? Hope, that the crowds will come, that hearts will be a little lighter, and wallets too. And that treasure may still be found.
