German Christmas markets offer almost anything and everything for creative gift buyers. You can buy great handcrafted gifts and traditional German goods and handicrafts. The most popular gifts include German nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments and christmas pyramids, nativity scenes, wooden toys, candles and special German baked goods, candies and sweets. Christmas angels and knomes rate high as do small gift items like jewelry and figurines. Whatever you do, wherever you are in Germany, you will have a chance to enjoy one of the many Christmas markets so make room in your luggage to bring back a few German Christmas gifts.
Nutcrackers
We all know the German nutcrackers - stars of the Nutcracker Suite, soldiers and generally scary figures with big mouths that supposedly crack nuts. If you want one that really works, don't buy one of the tiny ones as they can only crack peanuts. Nutcrackers become family heirlooms and make great gifts that will endure for years.
Incense Smokers
Incense Smokers are really great fun - you can get incense smokers in a variety of uniforms or from a variety of occupations - artistic and modern or traditional. Incense smokers generally have a "pipe" where you can stick the incense and let your smoker fill your house with your favorite scent. I have seen fisherman incense smokers and last year, even some golfer incense smokers but the traditional figures are generally soldiers, postmen, town mayors and men in traditional dress uniforms. I have not yet seen a female smoker but if you find one, let us know and send us a picture.
Christmas Ornaments and Nativity Scenes
Germany claims the Christmas tree as its own ("Oh Tannenbaum, Oh Tannenbaum...")so no wonder you can find great wooden and glass blown ornaments - in every variety and at every price in the Christmas markets. Buy some of the traditional wooden ornaments or beautiful blown glass ornaments either as gifts or as keepsakes for your own Christmas tree.
Wooden and Traditional Toys
While wooden toys may be a dying art in the face of computers and gameboys, who can resist falling in love with handcrafted wooden toys and puzzles that you can imagine chubby little hands playing with and handing down to later generations. Toymakers also make lovely handmade puppets that the little ones love. Don't forget teddy bears and dolls made the old fashioned way by German craftsmen.
Candles
Whether you are looking for beeswax or scented candles, sculptured candles, or candle holders, the candle makers provide a great selection of candles for romantic evenings. A popular gift are stone candle holders that provide unique rather rustic lighting and seem to be a favorite at stands throughout the markets.
Glassware and Crockery
Look for unique glassware and regional crockery, you can find great decorative pieces as well as mugs, vases and glassware - some of the stands will actually ship things for you or if not and you don't want to pack it, talk with your hotel concierge about shipping - DHL is the primary shipper from Germany other than the German postal service and FedEx
Jewelry
At some Christmas markets you can get traditional pieces but there is a lot of beautiful jewelry to be had at some fairly reasonable prices made by various artisans from around Germany. Jewelry has the added benefit of being easy to pack - so think about bracelets, necklaces and rings made of European Amber or various crsytals or gemstones.
Candy, Christmas Stollen and Marzipan
Lubeck is the homeplace of Marzipan and they Christmas market stalls offer marzipan in every shape and form, from tiny St. Nicks to Marzipan models of chapels. Gingerbread is also big at the Christmas markets and you can buy Gingerbread houses, Gingerbread house kits and just plain old authentic gingerbread cookies and cakes - a speciality of Nuremburg which has one of the most spectacular Christmas markets in Germany. Home of the Christmas Stollen and gummy bears, what better place to pick up some goodies for sweets lovers back home then in the German Christmas markets?
Christmas Angels and German Gnomes
Angels are big in Germany - bringing good luck and protection, each special design with a story of its own. You can purchase angel ornaments or figurines to delight the more spiritual of your friends or for those with a more humorous or darker side, consider one of the many gnomes on display. Whether it is a garden gnome or one to set on your mantelpiece, these funny little guys are sure to delight.
Housewares and Linens
Check out all the kitchen gadgets crafted of wood and stainless steel - vendors offer everything from handcrafted egg cups to high tech designs of speciality kitchen gadgets that cooks love and the rest of us try to figure out.
