What's the fuss about?

The Christmas Markets in Europe are nothing like anything I've ever seen in Australia and even more impressive than the little bit I saw 20 or so years ago. The extent to which the communities go with decorative pursuits across each town and village and city is spell binding. I can't imagine so much of Australia's public space being decorated without it being damaged or defaced in some way. It's community at it's best. I'm sure there may well be pockets of vandalism here too but we saw no evidence of it.

The market stalls are wooden (generally) structures, purpose built, and usually lined up in a village type arrangement. Each stall selling their speciality from the huge array of traditional Christmas products. From Christmas decorations of any and every colour to pain d'epice (ginger cakes) the size of small houses to sausages in rolls with saurkraut, onions and cheese nothing like the sausages sold outside Bunnings. You name it. If it says Christmas it will be available somewhere. And let's not forget the mulled wine or gluhwein with its heady scented aroma and warming spiciness that just shouts it's Christmas.

You can colour theme your decorations. What you see here in red was replicated in white, blue, green and on and on

Fruit decorations of all types and sizes. 

Tiny bits and bobs to make your own decorations. 

Figurines ...

And figurines 

And. Figurines. 

Christmas lights ...

And Christmas lights. 

And you couldn't refuse a chocolate apple. Just like a candy apple but chocolate.