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EveryMasala

Next: about 27 Nov to 24 Dec 2026

Advent and Christmas markets

Weeks of markets in German-speaking cities, where gluhwein, spiced almonds and lebkuchen perfume the cold air.

Christmas market “Lichtermarkt” at the St. Lamberti Church , Münster , North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany
Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Spices for Advent and Christmas markets

Christmas markets such as Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt open in late November and run until Christmas Eve. Gluhwein is red wine heated with cinnamon, clove, star anise and orange; gebrannte Mandeln are almonds roasted in sugar and cinnamon; Nuremberg lebkuchen use a blend of spices and honey, and Aachen printen are spiced with cardamom. The market stall is the place where the history of spice trade is most visible in modern Europe.

The spices

CinnamonIn almonds, wine and bread.CardamomIn Aachen printen.

Also part of it, and being written: Mulled wine (The hot spiced wine of the markets.).

About this page

Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Christmas market" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: seven spices you may not know, what is cooking this week, and one blend explained step by step.