Oh Aachen, what a beautiful variety you present to us every year - to use the words of the (pre-)Christmas season. A Christmas market and a Christmas village at its very best, intoxicatingly beautiful. An intoxicating variety, intoxicating scenery, intoxicating culinary delights. Once I've been there, the ‘Christmas ensemble’ sparks a feeling of cosy, warm childhood memories, the feeling of wanting to dive in, of wanting to go there again. Imagine a feeling like a cloud of icing sugar, decorated with shining stars and accompanied by the most beautiful music. Perhaps still wonderfully fragrant, carried by lightness.
I think that's enough of this imaginative dream journey, because why travel to faraway places - our dreams - when good things are so close at hand. My personal highlights for you:
The frenzy of the Christmas market
Culinary delights
Winter time is always chestnut time. A warm bag of deliciously scented, simple chestnuts in your hand. Soothing. Pure nature. Stands out from all the other treats prepared with hundreds of ingredients in thousands of variations. You will find various stalls at Katschhof, Holzgraben, Münsterplatz and in the Christmas village.
If you are a lover of another classic treat from the markets, I recommend the fine, well-known chocolate fruits by ‘Flaix’ bananas, apples, berries, chocolate-coated, colourfully decorated at the ‘Flaix almond distillery’ at the market.
Salty and hearty is the order of the day at Hütte 16 on Holzgraben. The Fleischerei Gerrards on Hartmannstraße serves great home-cooked delicacies such as Aachen Sauerbraten goulash, veal currywurst and kale with mettwurst. Delicious. All I can say is addictive!
Prefer meatless? In the Christmas village on the Platz der Demokratie, freshly cooked Kässpätzle from a young local supplier awaits you alongside other wonderful delicacies. It's exciting to see how the fresh dough is grated over the board to make spaetzle in boiling water.
Honestly, what is a must for many of us when visiting a Christmas market? Exactly, the mulled wine. My - secret - love is the Oecher Glühwein-Treff at Katschhof. A long-established family business with delicious mulled wine, cocoa, children's punch and other treats with and without alcohol. Surrounded by the most beautiful scenery between the town hall and the cathedral.
Culinary delights - Packaged
I really like to bring something back from markets - especially our Aachen Christmas market. For myself or as a gift. Whilst wandering through the magical landscape of huts, two things in particular caught my eye: Homemade egg liqueurs from Liebelei, on the side of the cathedral between Münsterplatz and Katschhof, and jams, jellies and chutneys made with love by the Lionsclub Aachen.
Through the eyes of a child
Two stalls simply appeal to me so much because they evoke my favourite childhood memories and memories of visits to the Christmas market with my daughter. Lovingly engraved - also on request - wooden boards, spoons and so on are beaming at me again this year at ‘Holzbrandartikel’ at the market. One family has had this stall for 50 years and I would love to know how many children's eyes have been lit up by a breakfast board at the morning table over the course of half a century.
The ‘Steinerlebnis’ at Katschhof is particularly personalised. Choose a stone, have it cut in half by an expert on the grinding machine, accompanied by exciting stories from the ‘stone whisperer’, and then the wonderful revelation: you see your stone shine from the inside. An amazing experience. Every year again.
My Aachen to go
A piece of Aachen to go. I like that. Maybe I can infect you. I think Oecher words like ‘Oecher Mäddche’ or ‘Och herm’ printed on mugs or socks are great! That's what I call a statement and identification at its best. Make sure you take a look at these pieces. Aachen's history for everyday life, as a gift.
The wooden puzzles from Sambamba at the Katschhof are ecologically valuable, sustainable and socially responsible. I like the intention behind it. Just go ahead, look at the motifs (there's even a Christmas market), grab the puzzle and grasp the idea. It's really great.
Being able to immerse yourself in the world of letters and drawings is also an exhilarating experience. And then to immerse yourself in the history of Aachen. Great. I really like the Aachen comics - also by ‘Karl der Kleine’! Such a great souvenir for yourself, to give as a gift to young and old.
I am sure that a little journey of pleasure in the footsteps of another person will awaken wonderful impulses of its own. That's exactly what I want to achieve, because the Christmas magic of Aachen has so many great facets. Enjoy them!