Weihnactsmarkts

Luxembourg Kreschtmaart

I took full advantage of the Luxembourg Christmas Market this year, visiting four times -- once as family, once with Ben, once with a group of friends, and once with just Otto.

It's a small market in comparison to the larger, more famous German markets, but the allure of Christmas sounds, hot chocolate, sausage, raclette, fresh grilled salmon sandwiches, grompere kichelcher, roasted almonds, rides on the ferris wheel and shopping were enough to lure me there multiple times. 

We rode the bus into the city with Otto, Aksel and Ingrid one cold and wet Saturday evening. After two rides on the merry-go-round, one time on the ferris wheel, sausages and gromperes eaten by Ben and I, and a walk past the Nativity, we worked our way back to Hamilius (the bus depot) and caught a bus home. The Stokes (A British family in our neighborhood) were also waiting for the bus and we commiserated about the cold and rain but celebrated the magic of living in a city with a Christmas market. 

Each time we pass the market on the way to Church or anywhere else, Otto and Aksel yell, the Christmas Market!!!! and then ask when we can go back. 

Riding ferris wheel.

View from ferris wheel. 

I surprised Ben with a babysitter one Thursday evening to wander the market sans kids and it was sooooo worth it. Ben spends most of his time in the leather, sausage, and Scandinavian stands, and I'm drawn to the wooden ornaments, pyramids and chocolate stands. It was beautiful but cold weather this night and we happily made our way through two of the squares eating waffles and drinking hot chocolate. 

A week later, I was riding the bus back downtown without kids (Ben was in NYC, so I had Sabrina over to babysit), to meet Megan, Becky, Justine, Martha, and Melissa at the Market. I got off the bus at the Gare, purposefully giving myself a mile to walk through the busy, decorated streets and shops toward the Market. 

We took our time perusing each stand, waiting in line for salmon sandwiches and selecting the perfect mug for our hot chocolate. 

Becky, Justine, Martha, Megan, Melissa, and Tasha.

Then I decided to fulfill Otto's long-time dream of "jumping on the trampolines" at the market. While Aksel and Ingrid napped on Christmas Eve, Otto and I hopped on a bus into the city. He asked a lot of questions about the Gare (Luxembourg train station), the flashing green pharmacy lights, and asked 72 times when he could press the "next stop" button alerting the bus driver to our stop. Once we were off the bus, he requested a piggy back ride for seven blocks to the trampolines and I happily complied. He was really patient as we were 11th in line to jump. 

When his turn came, he cautiously and silently jumped his little heart out for five euros and five minutes. Afterward, he asked if he could ride the merry-go-round. I said yes. He asked me to not ride with him but, instead, wave from the ground. Stinker. Then we purchased a hot chocolate and sat on the steps of the Gelle Fra (golden statue) drinking. We piggy-backed back to the bus while carrying the half-drunk hot chocolate and looked for our bus number. He skipped home and my heart skipped a beat. 

PwC Market

Each year, PwC puts on an unreal Christmas market for clients and employees. It's a four-day affair with one day set aside for clients, one day for employees, one day for employees and significant others and the last day for employees and their families. 

Ben pretended he was over it but kept texting me pictures, so I know he was secretly really into it. I really wanted to be into it, but got the flu or food poisoning or something else terrible that has ruined eating poppy seed muffins for a looooong time. 

After two days of sickness, I thought I was on the mend and left the kids in the care of Sabrina so Ben and I could attend the employees and significant others evening. I lasted 15 minutes before we returned home. But the crêpes were delicious. 

The next day, I was feeling a better and we were able to attend the family party. It's pure chaos. It's 2,500 employees and their families all trying to see Santa, get their faces painted, pick up presents and eat cookies. The kids were happy and loved the cookies. They love to see where Dad works, ride elevators, run through parking garages and jump on trampolines. I ate another crêpe. Good job PwC. 

School Market

In lieu of a traditional Christmas program this year, Otto and Aksel's school put on a little Christmas market. It was held in a church across the street from the school and all proceeds went to the Red Cross for the Syrian refugees.

Ben was in New York City, so I called for some courage and then loaded the three little ones in the stroller and walked five blocks to the market. Fortunately, my next door neighbor, Anandi Braun, was entering at the same time and I pulled her close and begged her to tell me what to do. I make a lot of cultural mistakes (which she's witnessed), so she knows exactly how to help. She tells me which food is free and which isn't, where to park my stroller, which direction to walk and good luck. 

Aksel's teachers (two on right) - Elisa & Mariane

Otto's teacher (on right) - Nathalie

Otto's buddy, Algison, greeted us immediately and told us which cookies were gross and which were good. Aksel was grateful. Then we made our way around the market. Aksel's class made ornaments and painted snowmen pots full of candy. I bought both. 

Otto's class made ornaments and his teacher was kind enough to make a note of which ornaments Otto made so I could purchase his creations. The candy was just about gone by the time we left the building. Perfect timing. 

Algison & Otto 

Aachen, Germany

I had this idea of attending a Christmas market without kids and with girlfriends months ago, and it all came to fruition on December 18. Ben and other husbands got off work early that Friday afternoon, so four friends and I could meet at Megan's and drive 2.5 hours to Aachen, Germany's famous market. 

We didn't leave quite early enough. Megan's three-year-old barfed all over her and the wall as we were about to leave. Nothing a few moms can't handle. 

After a wardrobe change and a quick wall and carpet scrub, we were on the road dancing to Justin Bieber like most other thirty-something American moms, ooh and ahhing over the town of Theux and basking in the beauty of a Christmas market nestled between two beautiful cathedrals. The atmosphere was incredible. Aachen was incredible. My friends are incredible. 

Martha, Star, Becky, Megan, and Tasha

I found and purchased a little wooden Nativity Otto, Aksel and Ingrid could play with and supported a lot of other great purchases like Martha's nougat, ornaments and nativity, Star's ornament and chocolate pipe, Megan's chocolates, and Becky's pyramid. 

We stayed until closing and then made our way home listening to Christmas music, playing games and missing gas station fountain drinks. 

Cologne, Germany

The next day (a short six hours later), my alarm went off and Ben and I started packing the car. We went to the Cologne, Germany Christmas Market last year and hadn't stopped thinking about it since. 

We made the 2.5 hour drive easily and I kept checking to see if Ingrid was alive because she didn't make a peep. The boys were super excited about paying 50 cents to use the bathroom and I was super excited about seeing the Kolm Dom (cathedral) again. 

Our first destination was the cathedral and Otto and Aksel stayed engaged for about 7 minutes longer than we expected trying to find statues of baby Jesus as we walked through semi-reverently. 

Afterward, we met the Packers out front and began to wander through the market, stopping to buy ornaments, chocolates and steak sandwiches. Becky and I window-shopped as our families made our way to the next market, where we bought more meat, rode the ferris wheel and bumped into the Mullins family. 

We continued on to the next market and ice skating rink where a stand selling fat black licorice ropes had been haunting Ben for 12 months. He bought a lot. Then he asked for a business card. The kids watched the ice skaters and we debated going to one more market before calling it a day. We pushed on in search of Nuremberg Cookies that had haunted me for 12 months and as soon as we found them, knew we had reached our market limit for the day (and year) and walked/pushed/carried everyone's tired bodies to the car.

We ate licorice and cookies all the way back to Luxembourg.