December 2024 Journal || Issue No. 1
Hi There! Welcome!
What you are about to read is the start of what I have been trying to come up with for years. I’ve brainstormed ideas on how to share some of my favorite finds, reads, travel destinations, tips, recipes, about the home, and more! A conundrum of thoughts and ideas placed all in one spot, within my blog. I am excited to begin this journey and hope you enjoy reading these monthly (sometimes seasonal) newsletters and find some things helpful for you. Have a peek and happy reading!
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December Highlights
Christmas Markets
December is a time for celebrating the holidays. It’s one of my favorite seasons. It’s a big month in Germany as Christmas Markets become one of the season’s highlights. There is no shortage of charming Christmas Markets in Germany; choosing which to go to is tough. But my tip is, go to as many as you can that are close to you; even if they are small, there are still some charming smaller ones to enjoy. However, there are some bigger Christmas markets that I recommend not to miss out on. Here are some of my favorite Christmas Markets in Germany in no particular order!
↠ Weihnachtsmarkt in Bernkastel-Kues
↠ Bonn Weihnachstmarkt
↠ Baden-Baden Christkindelsmarkt
↠ Cologne Christmas Market (Kölner Weihnachtsmarkt)
↠ Mainz’s Christmas Market
↠ Wiesbaden’s Sternschnuppenmarkt
↠ Rüdesheim Christmas Market
↠ Dresden’s Christmas Markets
↠ Esslingen Christmas Market -The blogpost for this market can be found here.
I wrote a blog on all of these Christmas Markets listed. You can find that blog post, here, or click link below.
Charming Christmas Markets in Germany
Additionally, I have many other Christmas Markets on my wishlist to visit. Here are some of the few I would love to visit.
↠ Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt – find more information here.
↠ Heidelberg Christmas Market- find it here.
↠ Rothenburg ob der Tauber – find more, here.
↠ St. Wendeler Weihnachtsmarkt & Mittelaltermarkt– find it, here. This is from December 6-15, 2024.
↠ Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market in the Black Forest- find more information- here. Limited dates and must book in advance!
Foods to Try at the Christmas Markets
The German Christmas Markets have always been magical visits for me. But what makes these markets so unique are not only just the trinkets and localized handmade gifts that you see being sold at little Christmas stalls, but also the food. As a foodie, I love trying all the things. It’s what makes the Christmas Markets even more magical. I wrote a blog post on some of my favorite foods (and drinks) to try when visiting any Christmas Markets. You can find that blog post here or click on the link below.
The Top Food and Drinks to Try at a German Christmas Market
Places to Visit in Europe in December
If you’re looking to get away in December, there are so many wonderful places to visit during this enchanting month! Personally, I love visiting a new city with a Christmas Market to check off my bucket list. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love to be home for the holidays, especially for Christmas. But in between Christmas and New Year’s, we like to squeeze a mini getaway if possible to enjoy the festive season. From Europe, here are my favorite December getaways and getaways I am hoping I will get to do soon!
Vienna, Austria
Vienna’s Christmas Market is high on my list to visit. It is considered one of the oldest Christmas Market, dating back to the Middle Ages. Besides having several Christmas Markets, 12 to be exact, throughout the city to keep you busy, there’s so many other discoveries (i.e. concerts and performances at the Opera House) to be had within the city and beyond. Additionaly, the likelihood of snowfall in the city will make your visit even magical; so you can enjoy skiing nearby (Hohe-Wand-Wiese (great for families) and Semmering (located about 100km from the city), ice skating in the city, and more.
Dresden, Germany
One of my favorite Christmas Market destination is Dresden, Germany. I won’t go into extreme details here about this market because I have a specific blog post on our visit you can find, here. Not only is Dresden a wonderful December getaway, it’s also not far from so many other great places to visit in the area, like nearby Erzgebirge region. Plus, Dresden’s Streizelmarkt is known as the oldest Christmas Market in the world that started it all. Find that blog post below.
Dresden’s Christmas Market: A Guide to One of the Oldest Christmas Markets in Germany
Alsace Region -France
Another favorite December getaway is the Alsace region of France, specifically Colmar, Strasbourg area. The Alsace Christmas Markets are one of a kind. The location is magical and reminds me of Beauty and the Beast (although this region is the inspiration for the movie). Besides visiting the Capital of Christmas, Strasbourg, there are smaller and even charming Christmas Markets all around Alsace, such as Colmar, Eguishime, Ribeauville, and more. Additionally, it’s prime wine country region, so lots of wineries to take advantage of. I have a complete blog post on the Alsace Christmas Markets we visited. You can find that blog post, here, or click on the link below.
A Quick Guide to the Alsace Christmas Markets
For the Home & Family
“Home” is a welcoming word for the holidays. It’s the pillar for the season, along with family and, of course, (if you celebrate), the birth of our Savior. Decorating for the holidays is one of my favorite things. I’m one of those who love to decorate immediately after Thanksgiving (I like to give Thanksgiving its own time to shine). I’m sharing some of my favorite reads to get ready for the holidays. Find the links below.
↠ 20+ Easy Things You Can Do In December To Get Your Home Ready For The Holidays – from House & Home
↠ 25 Family Activities To Do At Home This December – from Almost the Weekend
↠ 100 Festive Things to Do At Home in December – from Best of this Life
Food & Recipes
Get ready for the holidays; these are some of my tried and true recipes I love to follow when making those Christmas dishes.
↠ Paula Deen’s Southern Green Bean Casserole—I use this recipe for both Thanksgiving and Christmas! It’s a hit, and my family always begs me to make it every holiday season.
↠ Grandma’s Corn Pudding – one of my favorite corn pudding recipe to use for the holidays, this is a sweet corn pudding, not savory.
↠ 100 Best Christmas Cookie Recipes from Delish – I haven’t tried these recipes, but I would like to put a few on my recipes to try this holiday season.
Mo’s Picks
↠ Boden Thea Velvet Jersey Midi Dress– I just purchased my first Boden attire and I am excited! I was looking for something classy to wear for an upcoming event in February that I can tie in with the holidays. I saw this dress and fell in love! I waited for a sale to happen and I was able to purchase the dress with a 25% discount as it seemed the dress was selling out fast. I did the survey for what size would fit me the best. I am usually a size small in clothing, or 36 in European sizes. I went with a 6p or 36 Petite and it fits perfect. Alittle on the pricey side, although I did get it on sale, I know this is a dress I’ll wear for many years! A great investment for sure!
↠ Blundstone 585 CLASSIC – Ankle boots – rustic brown – I purchased this about a year ago on sale at Zalando (one of my favorite online retailers in Germany), and it is my go-to boots for the season. I went with my regular size 7 or 37 and it fits perfect without the extra inserts that were given to me in the box. If I buy another boot, I prefer to size up next time to give myself room for the inserts, if needed. However, break-in is needed but didn’t take long for me to start being comfortable in them. I love these boots and recommend them for hiking, everyday boots, or simply dress them up with a cute dress.
Advent Calendars Idea
↠ NY Times has listed some of their favorite Advent Calendars – Find their Advent Calendar Recommendations here.
↠ 40 Best Advent Calendars for Kids in 2024 – from CNET
December Wishes
Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read my first ever newsletter! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this month’s picks. As the season winds down and the holidays are upon us, I wish you and yours a Happy Holidays! Tis the Season to enjoy time with all those that are important in your life and reflect on the year to come! Happy Holidays! Until next time, friends!
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