Shops rooted in tradition
When Michelle Bradley visited Europe this month, she returned with more than souvenirs.
Spending a week touring the famous Christmas markets in Austria and Germany, the Buffalo Township woman discovered rich traditions void of inflatable Santas.
Although a multitude of the quaint seasonal markets appear throughout many places in Europe, Bradley said the season's focus there centers on faith instead of gifts.
"They're not called Christmas markets in Germany, they're called "Christkindlmarkts," she said, explaining that the term translates in English to Christ child markets."We say 'hello.' They say 'grusgott,' or 'Greetings from God,'" she added.Bradley, 41, visited the markets with her longtime friend, Sonia Smith, 42, who lives in St. Louis.Departing for Europe Nov. 28, the pair connected in Chicago with others who would attend the tour through an Internet travel company. As part of the eight-day trip, about 40 travelers would visit multiple Christmas markets from their base in Innsbruck, Austria.Tour stops, which were accessed by bus, also included the German cities of Munich and Oberammergau as well as Salzburg, Austria. During their one free day on the trip, the women boarded a train for Italy, where Christmas markets also were found.<br><br>
With the snowy Alps as a backdrop, artisans in Europe display a range of wares each Christmas season from temporary wooden kiosks."They have everything from jams and jellies to wooden toys, handmade scarves and sweaters," Bradley said.Hand-carved nutcrackers and handblown glass ornaments also emerge among the treasures.Smith said although some markets are known for a selection of authentic handmade goods, many also cater to tourists, selling mostly mass-produced items."I didn't buy anything unless it was made there," she said, noting she would likely map out different market destinations if planning a future Advent trip.The food delicacies include roasted chestnuts and what Bradley described as fried doughnuts with a sauerkraut filling. Though Bradley didn't sample that pastry, the women did try a hot, spiced drink called glühwein served only during the holiday season.Made from either red or white wine, the mulled drink is sold in commemorative mugs unique to each community.Bradley said glühwein's low alcohol content allows market goers to consume multiple mugfulls while shopping."It's very mild," Bradley said. "It's more to keep you warm."As a result, the shoppers often amass a collection of the unique stoneware each season.During Bradley and Smith's visit, temperatures hovered in the 20s, but online sources say Innsbruck's Fahrenheit temperatures often range in the low 30s in November and December."It was like a winter wonderland," Smith said. "It looks like sugar on all the trees."Embracing the climate, Bradley said activity in the chilly outdoors is part of the ambience there, repeating the term "cafe culture" to describe the local lifestyle."They eat outside there and it's freezing," Smith noted."They're sitting there drinking glühwein and eating a pizza. We would never think of doing that here."
Along with traditions of food and drink, Bradley and Smith discovered a new way of celebrating Christmas. Instead of waiting for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, for instance, European children receive gifts on St. Nicholas Day, celebrated Dec. 6.In the absence of Santa, "good" children receive a visit from St. Nicholas, who leaves modest gifts like spice cookies and oranges. Alternatively, bad children are visited by Krampus, a horned monster who carries a switch."Krampus is St. Nicholas' sidekick — his evil twin, if you will," Bradley said.As part of local holiday tradition, many people are seen in the streets impersonating the apelike devil. As well as appearing in local parades, Krampus characters — often teenagers having fun — can be found chasing younger children, she added.While St. Nicholas and Krampus occupy the festive side of Christmas, the spiritual side also is expressed.Bradley learned that children also receive gifts on Christmas Eve, but those gifts come from Kristkind, which translates to "Christ child" in English."Kristkind is our Kriss Kringle. It morphed from the Christ Child to our Santa Claus," she said.While visiting Oberammergau, the women learned about the well-known passion play held in that city every 10 years.First performed in 1634, the passion play was a thank you to God for sparing the citizens from the plague, they learned."The village has 5,000 residents, and 2,000 perform in the production," Bradley said. "You can't perform in the production unless you're born there or have lived there for 20 years," she added.After spending six months preparing for the production, the town of Oberammergau performs the event for the following six months, when close to 5,000 visitors attend each day."You quit your job, and that's your job for a year," Bradley said.
History lessonsAs part of their secular discoveries, the women were exposed to driving on the German autobahn, where recommended speeds exceed 80 mph. They also discovered cultural nuances that include using the pointer finger to signal two, not one, when ordering coffee and other foods. The thumb signals a quantity of one.Coffee also was served as strong espresso in tiny amounts balanced by inflated ratios of cream — unlike the nearly filled cup that is topped with minimal cream at home.On a more serious note, travelers learned about the rich musical history of Salzburg, where Mozart was born and parts of "The Sound of Music" were filmed.They visited buildings in Munich, replicated after their destruction by the Allied bombs in World War II.They also visited the beer garden where Hitler gave many speeches."It was so emotional. It really was," Bradley recalled.On a practical note, the women said formation of the European Union in 1993 and use of the euro as a common currency makes traveling between countries easy.But with the euro equaling about $1.25 in American money during their stay, shopping was void of bargains.
Bradley did return home with a few things, however, including special ornaments, a Krampus doll and a "smoker," or wooden incense burner carved to resembled a man with a pipe.Bradley said most people they encountered spoke English, but their Old World cultures remain intact."That's the beauty of it," she noted. "There's a lot of history, a lot of tourism but they've stayed authentic."With markets spread throughout Germany, Austria and bordering countries, Bradley was unable to guess how many such markets exist, but said Munich alone has 38.Melissa McKee, a public relations specialist for Collette Vacations that hosted the tour, also could not speculate on the region's total markets, but said more than 2,500 can be found in Germany."In the past few years, we have seen a steady increase in passengers opting for these tours," McKee said, noting the trip is a draw for all generations.According to Collette's Web site, cost of the Christmas Markets tour begins at about $1,200. But the women said additional air travel and spending money adds to the total budget.Even though the women take multiple girlfriend getaways each year, Bradley said this was the most costly. But she doesn't regret the expense."This was the best week of my life except for my honeymoon," she said.Smith agreed."I would go in a heartbeat again," she said. "It was one of my favorite trips."
Michelle Bradley is a real estate appraiser in Buffalo Township. Sonia Smith of St. Louis puts travel packages together for Funjet Vacations. The women, who describe themselves as best friends and travel buddies, met through their husbands, who were childhood friends. They take four to five trips a year, keeping travel journals and collecting sketches of places they've been.
This European adventure represents the latest in a monthly travel series that highlights county residents and their journeys. To share your vacation with Butler Eagle readers, contact Focus editor Sandy Marwick at 724-282-8000, Ext. 252.
