Christmas Markets Open In Berlin
'Tis the season. Christmas Markets open this week in Berlin. Svetlana Stepanova/NPR hide caption
The Christmas markets are open in Berlin. Time for Glühwein, roasted nuts and shopping.
I remember my first time visiting the Christmas markets in Berlin. I was shopping at a market near Potsdamer Platz and remember feeling overwhelmed by the sweet smell of roasted nuts. Because lunch was still a few hours away, I eagerly bought a bag of roasted chestnuts, which I had never actually eaten, only heard about in Christmas songs growing up.
In my holiday euphoria, I happily consumed the entire bag, not realizing that you were not supposed to eat the shells. It was a little hard on my teeth and my friends were laughing for the rest of the day, but I survived.
I have since been to Christmas markets, in Berlin and in other German cities and found them to be charming, a completely fun and approachable cultural experience- especially for a clueless Ausländerin like me.
Even though it's frigid outside, people push through the cold to enjoy each other's company during a season when it's much easier to hole up indoors.
We'll have stories on the markets on upcoming Life in Berlin features, but we thought we'd ask you first: What's your favorite memory at the Berlin Christmas markets?
For expats- what do you remember of your first Christmas in Berlin?
Leave your answers in the comments below.