Take 2: Esslingen Christmas Market
I’ve been planning to get my kids to this market since I first went on opening day with friends. This is consistently voted one of the top 10 Christmas markets in Germany and it’s right in our area. It’s both a traditional and a medieval market and in such a great setting with the half-timbered houses and history of Esslingen.
The kids were totally fascinated by these handmade masks. They are all leather.
There are such fun activities for the kids, really cool mugs for the gluhwein (kinderpunsch for us), and good food. I told the kids they could each pick two activities to do and any of the food they wanted so we had fun and full bellies the whole time.
They chose candle dipping which was such a fun and easy craft. It’s 3euro for the candle and you can get as creative as you want with dipping it over and over again in all the colors of the rainbow.
Brian and Nola were so excited to do archery. For 4euro they got a personal lesson, 10 arrows to shoot and they could pick a gemstone to take home at the end. They both did great and hit near the bullseye every time.
They all loved eating bags of roasted chestnuts — these have become a real favorite — eating the best fries, and seeing the live animals at the nativity that was there. They were so happy wandering through all the stalls and seeing what was offered it made for a great day out on this Christmas break from school.
We came home and made gingerbread cookies and I took a much needed nap. These days are feeling just like they should, but I’ll be honest. I feel homesick in many ways, which is funny because I don’t really have a “home” or house or area to particularly miss. I think I just feel very far away from family and we are making our way here in a new place, again. It’s been 6 months now since we moved so it’s pretty predicable timing to feel a lull, plus it’s the dark of winter, and Joel isn’t with us this year. I am just holding my precious family close and trying to do the things that bring magic for us all.
We’ve got one more Christmas market to explore before they are done for the year and all the food prep for Christmas Eve and Day. Just four more sleeps ‘til Christmas!
