Christmas Market Vienna

<p>Europe has many wonderful old traditions and one of them is the Christmas market.</p><p>The Christmas market in Vienna in Austria is truly amazing. It is one of the oldest in the World - it started at a December market in 1298 although that may not qualify as a real Christmas market among historians.</p><p>The December market was by the Cathedral St Stephan Dom.</p><p>Christmas markets became a tradition in German speaking lands and ushered in the four week church festival of <em>Advent</em>. In nearby Munich Germany the Christmas market is first mentioned in 1310.</p><p>It is traditionally held in the town square and the market has food drink and seasonal items from open-air stalls accompanied by traditional singing and dancing.</p><p>Here the tradition include mulled wine - <em>Gl��hwein</em> - and sausage with <em>Saurkraut</em> pickled cabbage.</p><p>Often the market is opened with singing and a procession of the Christ kind which used to be a boy but now is mostly a local girl.</p><p>Today almost all Christmas markets have a program of processions Christmas music and entertainment. In Austria a brass band playing local music is a must. There are also other activities such as workshops where you can see traditional handicrafts.</p><p> See the local schedule.</p>