For 11 months of the year Germany is a place of eye-watering efficiency but, come Advent, it goes back in time to give us the Christmas we Irish wish we had, says DEREK SCALLY
AS A DISMAL year staggers to a close, the temptation has never been greater to adopt the Scrooge solution and cancel Christmas altogether. But it’s at times like these that it’s more important than ever to rediscover the real Christmas spirit.
The boom years were filled with reports of helicopter visits to Lapland and reindeer rides with Santa. But just as many Irish families, with far less fanfare, established their own tradition of heading in the other direction, to Germany.
For 11 months of the year, this is the country of eye-watering efficiency and Vorsprung durch Technik. Come Advent, though, and Germany goes back in time to give us the Christmas we Irish wish we’d always had.
Up and down the country, crowds gather in Christmas markets to fill up on potent glühwein and addictive gingerbread. Besides browsing the stalls, the markets are a chance to ignore the rush and spend quality time with friends. There’s nothing quite like letting mulled wine alcohol and sugar work their magic mid-afternoon, and making the umpteenth toast to absent friends back in Ireland who are probably stuck on a motorway tailback near a shopping centre.
Anyone looking to go beyond the ordinary Christmas markets should consider heading to the Erzgebirge or Ore Mountains, just south of Dresden.
For centuries, the village of Seiffen survived on its local tin mine. To earn a little on the side, mining families perfected the art of carving wood from the surrounding forest. As tin supplies began to dwindle, wood became their daily bread. It’s a tradition that has continued to this day through war, socialism and the dramatic changes in the last 20 years. Today the eastern German village is a destination for over 200,000 people each Advent season, yet manages to retain its unique atmosphere.
“It’s still a mountain village and the people are very warmhearted,” said Anne Braun whose church cantor husband organises dozens of concerts in the Advent season. “This is a town where it’s no shame for a man to show he’s moved to tears by music.”
The Miner’s Church from 1779 should be your starting point for an Advent outing in Seiffen. Advent concerts begin every Sunday at 2pm, no pre-booking is necessary and Mrs Braun insists that everyone gets in even if there’s a queue outside.
From there it’s a short walk to the Christmas market to inspect the beautiful wooden decorations made by over 100 local families. Very popular are the decorative candlesticks and light-bearing Knappenfiguren or journeyman miners. Then there are the grim-faced wooden soldiers and policemen who double up as nutcrackers and the hilarious Räuchermann (smoking man) villagers, whose second job is as an incense burner.
If you’re in luck you’ll see a local woodworker making “Reifentiere” or tyre animals – a fascinating carving technique unique to Seiffen that produces wooden toys that would reduce Gay Byrne to tears.
At the Seiffen Christmas market, make sure you try the special white mulled wine: just as tasty as its red wine cousin, without the tell-tale black lips afterwards.
Before you go, make sure to visit the wonderful toy museum and get lost in its square kilometre display of traditional playthings.
Each weekend in advent offers different activities in Seiffen: the traditional miners’ parade, the children’s Christmas market and a lantern procession through the village.
Accommodation in Seiffen during the Advent season is nearly impossible, so make it a day trip or stay in one of the local villages.
Another worthwhile destination for Christmas junkies is Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The perfectly-preserved medieval village in Franconia, northern Bavaria, is a popular destination all year round. During Advent, however, the cobbled streets come alive with the smell of roasted almonds and mulled wine.
The Wohlfahrt family in the Herrngasse have taken things to the next level. As well as a huge Christmas shop of traditional ornaments, the family run the all-year Christmas Museum and Christmas Village, an eye-popping trip through the world’s favourite holiday.
Whether Seiffen or Rothenburg, a trip to Germany is the perfect escape from the bad news and seasonal madness at home. Stop writing Christmas cards and step into one instead.
* Seiffen is 65km southwest of Dresden and 90km north of Prague. Local woman Anne Braun can organise tours for visitors (braun-anne.de).
Rothenburg is 100km west of Nuremburg (wohlfahrt.de).