I know Christmas has come and gone, and I am a little late. Still, I will tell you about Germany during Christmas. Before coming to Germany I heard of many stereotypes. Some of them are accurate; however, most of them are not. The one thing I did hear about that has been pleasantly confirmed is the Christmas markets. Before coming I heard about how beautiful they are and how much they put you in the Christmas spirit, but you really have to see it to understand. 

The first Christmas market I went to was in Levern, another small village next to my own village. The market was tiny and adorable. They had some food stands and a few stands for jewelry and handcrafted goods, and in the Grundschule (primary school) there were many people selling quilts and clothing. 

The second market I went to was in Oldenburg. I went with my local coordinator and her family, and it was one of the coolest things I've seen. The streets were full of stands for food and handcrafted goods. The thing that impressed me the most was the lights! They were so beautiful, and the streets were covered with them. Basically, it seemed like the whole city came together to transform their city into a winter wonderland. 

I also went to a third market with Mahalia, another exchange student, and her host family. We went to Bremen, one of my favorite German cities so far. It was huge and gorgeous! Once you step out of the train station there is a huge arch of lights and bright chandeliers. Throughout the city there are lights in the shape of stars and light up signs that read each street's name. I actually got to go to this market a second time with my host family, and it was still just as beautiful the second time. The first time I went on a Thursday, and the second time I went on the weekend. I have to say the crowd is probably doubled on the weekend, so it is probably a better idea to attempt to see the markets on weekdays. 

Even though there are amazing booths to look at, I spent most of my time holding a cup of hot chocolate and looking up at the lights hanging above the streets. I got to try several traditional German drinks and dishes, and everything was very delicious! All in all, I have to say that Christmas markets are the epitome of a Christmas in Germany. They definitely lived up to my expectations.