Christmas Craziness!

Stephansdom and Christmas Market

The Christmas season is upon us! Christmas markets cover every square and lights are up on every street. Vienna at Christmas time is truly magical!

Every weekend since they've opened I've been to a Christmas market to walk around, drink some glühwein, and enjoy the upcoming excitement that all leads to Jesus' birth. Each market has a different feel and is set is picturesque locations. My favorite Christmas market in terms of aesthetic beauty is the one at Karlsplatz. It is an artisan market where all of the stalls have to prove that their goods are 100% homemade. What makes this market special is that it is in front of Karlskirche which is one of my favorite churches in Vienna. My favorite market for for a more "old school" feel is the market at Spittelberg. This market winds through narrow cobblestone streets, alleys, and courtyards and has a cozier feel than some of the other markets. Lastly, my favorite touristy market is the one at Rathaus. The Rathaus is lit-up and all the stalls are brightly decorated with the regular touristy things one can buy when they come on vacation. It is definitely worth a stop just to take a picture, listen to the choirs that come and sing, and take a picture of you with angel wings.

Christmas time also means Christmas concerts. The secondary concert was held at Peterskirche located in the heart of the first district. While the secondary students did a great job, it was the cherub choir that stole the show. It was a group of elementary students who auditioned and were chosen to sing some songs alone and then also with the high school and middle school. They were so cute and I was so proud of all of them for singing their little hearts out. The elementary concert was held at ICSV and the room was packed with families waiting to see their child perform. It was a very cute concert and all the students did a great job with their respective songs.

Budapest, Hungary

Katie, Lydia, and I also traveled to Budapest for a weekend this month. Katie did a semester there during college and really knew the city so it was great to visit with someone who knew their way around. The best thing we did in Budapest was go to a zoo cafe. We had to make a reservation and then you did have to order something, we all ordered hot drinks, but then the waiters brought different animals to you to hold including geckos, snakes, turtles, and guinea pigs. It was so much fun! It was a relaxing weekend where we hit up some of the sights and also went to Christmas markets. The markets here have a different feel from the ones in Vienna which is hard to explain. A Christmas market is a Christmas market, right? Wrong. I have found that depending on the country's culture, location, and stalls found in the markets can all affect the way the markets feel. The best way I can describe it is that the ones in Vienna feel more showy with their locations being in front of churches or palaces. The ones in Budapest feel more local since they are located in any square that is large enough to accommodate them. Vienna feels more imperial where Budapest feels more casual. Either way, I love the Christmas season and everything that it represents. Merry Christmas!