Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Anyone ever been to Germany @ Christmas

DuckDogDr
DuckDogDr Posts: 1,549
in EggHead Forum
Random question in middle of the night. Christmas is my favorite holiday. I’ve always wanted to go to the Christmas tree markets and other assorted places. 
If I can get time off and talk my gf into it.. I’m tentatively planning now..(very tentatively)

looking for insight or past experiences 
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • OhioEgger
    OhioEgger Posts: 953
    Several times. The Christkindlmarkts are a seasonal feature and can be a lot of fun. Some are tacky, but you can also get some really nice things at good prices, since they are just as popular with locals as with tourists. 

    I remember buying a set of wine glasses at one of them more than 40 years ago. Very high quality and I still use them. When my mom was alive I got her Hummel figurines that she loved.

    I've noticed that tourism focused outfits like Viking River Cruises and others have picked up on this and now run Christmas time trips in Germany.

    Be aware that it gets quite cold, as you would expect, so dress appropriately. 
    Cincinnati, Ohio. Large BGE since 2011. Still learning.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tspud1
    Tspud1 Posts: 1,514
    You would think you were in Germany...Xmas in Gramado, Brazil
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tspud1
    Tspud1 Posts: 1,514

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,172
    No, but my wife has a million six German Nutcrackers…….if that helps at all. 
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • OhioEgger
    OhioEgger Posts: 953
    Tspud1 said:
    You would think you were in Germany...Xmas in Gramado, Brazil
    Yeah, there are a number of similar towns in southern Brazil. Very Bavarian in architecture, and tourist oriented to the point that you can find a lot of shops selling chocolate, knit sweaters, etc. I used to love visiting them when I lived down there.
    Cincinnati, Ohio. Large BGE since 2011. Still learning.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,133
    I don’t mean to hijack your thread, but here’s an idea if you can’t get to Germany if the pandemic rears it’s ugly head again. There is or at least there used to be a nice, very popular touristy community some where north of Atlanta that was all about Christmas and decorated in the same Barvarian theme…but I forget the name of it!, 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ybabpmuts
    Ybabpmuts Posts: 969
    edited July 2022
    I was in Germany when the wall came down. Before that, none of us could see what season it was on the other side. On our side it was whatever season was the darkest and sucked the most. When the wall fell down though .. that was like christmas for us. I wish someone would have stopped us before we ran headfirst into all of the sparkly sticky trees though. Ornaments Shmornaments, it's the sap that hurts to remove the most, especially if it gets on your lips and you have to wait for them to clean your lips off, before you can tell them,  where all the rest of the sap is.

    Here's my advice .. if you go to Germany for Christmas and you need to run ... for whatever reason ... run away from the sparkly sticky trees. Also, as a safety feature, in case you run into one, make sure you travel with someone that can tell all of the people that have to remove all of the sparkly sticky stuff from you, to start with your lips.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DuckDogDr
    DuckDogDr Posts: 1,549
    Awesome. Thank you @RRP
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,465
    edited July 2022
    Sölvang, CA features similar culture/architecture, although I can't remember if it was German or Swiss.  Area's fields are beautiful, they grow tulips and other flowers for seed/bulbs.  
    I was highly smitten with a 6'2" blonde waitress there, I seem to remember the food was pretty good too.  
     
    EDIT:  Looks like they were also named "Best Christmas town" by none other than READER'S DIGEST, so how could you go wrong?!?  (well, 'cept for no snow)
     

     

    ___________

    "If you have nothing to say, why do you keep talking?"  - Alton Brown's wife


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • keener75
    keener75 Posts: 404
    edited July 2022
    We lived in Mahlburg, just outside CFB Lahr in West Germany from '80 - '84.
    I was pretty young but still have memories. Most of the memories are of parades with lots of costumes. Usually fall festivals (beer tents) but I do remember puting our shoes outside our doors on christmas eve. Something about being filled with coal (similar to stockings in NA) if you were bad. Instead of Santa Claus they had St Nicolas and bad Peter.
    My mothers home is filled with high quality memrobilia from our time there.
    I would love to go back one day.
    @duckdogdr I think you would have an amazing time! Visiting another country and experiencing their culture is well worth the effort!
    St Marys, Ontario, Canada  LBGE
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,125
    We have been, hosted by my sister in law, who was stationed for her job with the State department. We did Austria, and Germany while there for Christmas, arriving a week before and the carnivals for the celebrations, were awesome. Do go. It was worth every penny and all the travel. 

    I work in Germany frequently, and although dreading the flights look so forward to my visits.

    Gotta do it.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • CornfedMA
    CornfedMA Posts: 491
    There was a member here that did a trip like this a few years ago. I just did a Google search and this came up. Don’t know if he’s still active, but if he is, looks like @Sea2Ski is the guy to talk to.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RockyTopDW
    RockyTopDW Posts: 338
    I grew up in Germany as a military brat.  Go!  You won’t regret it.  There are several places to go.  A google search will serve you as good or better than the info I would post.  

    Also, RRP is referring to Helen, Georgia.  I’ve never been.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,133
    edited July 2022
    RockyTopDW said:


    Also, RRP is referring to Helen, Georgia.  I’ve never been.
    Thank you!
    https://helenga.org
    and some live video views: https://helenga.org/downtown-cameras/
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ybabpmuts
    Ybabpmuts Posts: 969
    Apologies @RRP , for taking that a little sideways on you for a minute there.

    SB
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • U_tarded
    U_tarded Posts: 2,070
    Do it.  It’s a lot of fun just to wonder around and eat and drink.  We did Vienna, Austria, another small town in Austria, Bratislava, Slovakia and Budapest, Hungary.  We would just roam and eat and drink and find random markets.  I didn’t know if I would honestly like it but I trusted my wife and it was a blast.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BigreenGreg
    BigreenGreg Posts: 596
    edited July 2022
    Bruges, Belgium looked nice at Christmas up until Colin Farrel and Brendan Gleeson started shooting at  everyone.
    LBGE, 36" Blackstone, Anova Pro
    Charleston, SC
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    Spent 7 years in Germany as a kid.  It’s commercialized there too.   Overall, Germany is very secular and religion is a private matter for people.  There are some fun xmas traditions there for kids.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • johnmitchell
    johnmitchell Posts: 6,847
    Not to mention the Oktoberfest 🍺
    Greensboro North Carolina
    When in doubt Accelerate....
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,450
    @Botch Solvang is Danish.
    Love you bro!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,465
    Legume said:
    @Botch Solvang is Danish.
    Thanks!  That would better explain the windmills.  
    ___________

    "If you have nothing to say, why do you keep talking?"  - Alton Brown's wife


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dbCooper
    dbCooper Posts: 2,526
    Botch said:
    Legume said:
    @Botch Solvang is Danish.
    Thanks!  That would better explain the windmills.  

    But, what about the 6' 2" blonde?  Wouldn't she most likely be connected to Northern Germany? 
    LBGE, LBGE-PTR, 22" Weber, Coleman 413G
    Great Plains, USA
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,465
    dbCooper said:
    But, what about the 6' 2" blonde?  Wouldn't she most likely be connected to Northern Germany?  
    I will have to think about that carefully, as I drift off into sleep tonight.  :there-is-no-100%-appropriate-smilie-thingie-for-this:  
    ___________

    "If you have nothing to say, why do you keep talking?"  - Alton Brown's wife


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories