Is there much to buy at German Christmas Markets?

[Teentrauma]

Heading to Cologne next week with two friends. Discovered we have a stingy luggage allowance of one small underseat bag 😣. It's £45 each way for an extra cabin bag Suggested we pay for one bag between us for the shopping (so about £30 each) but friends said no. So it looks like I will have to buy very little. I was wondering if there is actually much to buy or if it's more enjoy the food & drink & soak up the atmosphere. Was at least hoping to buy some nice chocolate for stocking fillers & small gifts I give various people. Had a naughty thought of stashing my bag of shopping under my coat when boarding the plane but that won't work if I buy too much 😬

Just make sure you buy something in the airport in the way home that results in a carrier a bag 😜 as duty free is in addition to luggage allowance usually.

I agree, get a duty free carrier bag.
Ive not been to them, but I believe that it’s more about the food/drink/atmosphere.
I walked through the Manchester one once, on the way somewhere, and it looked like overpriced tat.

Good tip about the duty free, thank you. Don't think I've ever bought anything in a UK market apart from an overpriced mulled wine so presume it'll be the same but on a bigger scale. My one must buy is a souvenir Christmas bauble - I collect them & have them from all over the world 😃

Wooden decorations are nice

Ooh! Hopefully not too big 😀

I'm always buying wooden decorations (lovely scenes!) and lots of candles / candle carousels / lebkuchen etc. I'm going this year (not to cologne) and will definitely need a suitcase 😂

Depends if you're as spending happy as me! On holiday I will buy anything for the memory / a gift etc.

German markets are way nicer than the UK ones. There will be things you want to buy.

Could you not pay for an extra cabin bag for the journey home and pack an extra bag in your small 'on the way out' bag?

Hmm. The going out bag is VERY small 40x30x15. Wonder if we could add the extra bag when put there and have decided if needed although we might have to buy one lol.

I would book another bag. Last year we visited family in Summer just with hand luggage on DH's insistance and really had to restrain myself. And that was just stuff I love back home and don't get here, not presents or anything.

Never again.

We normally buy ornaments at the market, wood, glass, china. Over the years I brought things home like a Christmas pyramid, 30cm tall angel, candles, wax melt burner, artisan chocolate, additions to my nativity set and lots more.

Mostly candles and over priced food stalls.
The ones here are dire.

I've been to Prague xmas market before. I imagine it's very similar. I didn't buy a lot outside of food/drink. A fridge magnet, bauble and a scarf I think.

There are larger items to purchase if you wanted - art work, wood and leather craft etc. but you'll know whether that's the kind of thing you'd want to buy.

The atmosphere is the best bit tbh. You might find the stalls are very samey and sell duplicates of each other at varying prices. I don't know how the German markets are laid out but I found in Prague the mini markets that were less central sold the same stuff but cheaper than the main square.

Hope you have a lovely time. I do enjoy an Xmas market.

I was hoping to get one of those decorative steins! Also those elaborate candles!

You bought a flight ticket with no baggage allowance and are now wondering how to cheat the system and sneak extra bags on? 🙄🙄🙄

Honestly... loved in Germany for a couple of years. Spent a lot of time (in December) drinking gluhwein or hot chocolate oder beer while eating curry wurst and/or chips, very little time actually shopping in them. It was quickly monotonous. The decorations were better quality in the real shops.

A lot of the stalls were identical to the funfair ones in the summer...

They were a lot of fun. The food is lovely. Mushrooms were apparently brilliant if you prefer them to sausage.

Feuerzangenbowle (if there is a bar with it) is a particularly strong type of gluwein, very warming.

Find a bar that does nice souvenir mugs... you pay a deposit and either keep the mug or return for a refund. We still use our terracotta ones for hot chocolate in winter. Keeps the heat in well!

Hmm Well my friend booked it and I stupidly assumed we'd have baggage given it's a shopping trip (should've been paying more attention) so now trying to figure out if it's an issue and what to do about it if so!

I wonder if posting items back would be cheaper than purchasing an extra cabin bag? I have no idea of European postage costs though?

Normally, you have to purchase the extra baggage there and back- not just one way, but check with the airline so you know beforehand.

German & Austrian Christmas markets usually have very overpriced, tatty stuff (we live in Austria). You can easily spot the ones reselling mass produced things from China a mile away. Unless you find one which has genuine artisans and small local brands. Some markets do make an effort to curate their sellers and those are quite fun to visit. Basically like a craft fair with Christmas vibes.

However even then, many "handmade" things are a bit meh and nothing you couldn't get as gifts back in the UK. Think candles, scented soaps, essential oils etc. The Lebkuchen hearts are cute but be wary because they are often hung as decoration, and not meant to be eaten despite expiry dates. We've ended up with mouldy ones on several occasions.

The fresh food and drink however is usually fantastic. So as a rule, all the freshly cooked things and alcoholic drinks are worth spending money on (sausages, meat, bread, fried foods, potatoes, donuts, sugared nuts etc). But don't purchase anything edible that are pre-made or pre-packaged such as gingerbread, cream rolls, chocolate covered fruit etc. Those are usually not fresh at all and left out day and night without proper refrigeration. Daytime temps of 10-15C are common in November and December, much higher than food safety recs.

Local people rarely buy gifts at Christmas markets. It's really a place to eat and drink. So don't worry too much about luggage allowance...you won't miss out on much by not getting gifts there!

Genuine lebkuchen, stollen, marzipan and other German Christmas foods can just as easily be bought in Lidl or Aldi in the UK - and much cheaper - so you don't have to lug those home from the Christmas markets.

As others have said, there are stalls selling cheap tat made in factories far away from Europe and where the workers must wonder what snowmen, Santas and reindeer are all about, but these are easy to spot and there are usually plenty of genuine artisan and craft stalls. The best markets make an effort to exclude the tat.

The best thing about the markets is the atmosphere. People are chilled and merry, the lights twinkle, the gluhwein is warming and the currywurst is hot and spicy. Enjoy the market squares for a few hours, then find a local bar or restaurant and enjoy the vibe.

In the Cologne Christmas market at Neumarkt (it’s also called the Angel market) there is a lovely wooden decorations shop - you may have to queue to get in.
This is my favourite of the various markets in Cologne. They have the nicest stalls, more handmade item and it’s not as crazy as the one at the cathedral.

The problem with posting items back is that the price of postage from Germany to the UK has gone up and you would have to pay customs on what you send back.

Pack a foldable canvas bag - large tote or shopper in your hand luggage and pay for it as an extra bag just for the way home if needed, and if not it is no loss.

Or ditch your toiletries/take TINY travel pots of things so you barely use any space in your bag to begin with. Wear your layers on the flight to save space on the way back if needed too

Wear a little cross bosy or rucksack if you can still take a handbag as well as a cabin bag.

Have you purchased a cheap travel bag with those measurements to maximise the bag you can take?

Get a fold up bag and buy one for the way back only??

Re the markets, there's usually more interesting crafts type stiff at German St Martin's markets, which would be around now. Some Christmas markets are held near or around a local market hall, so that's worth checking out esp for foodstuff.

Regarding bags, do you or does anyone you know own one of those Barbour coats with the big game pocket across the bag? VERY useful for this type of situation. See also: photographer's vests. See also "wearable luggage" on Google.

Thank you all. I will take a shopping bag just in case, hopefully they won't charge more at the airport than if booked in advance but will worry about that if it happens! I have purchased the maximum sized bag allowed and will have to pack strategically, mini toiletries, minimal clothes. Should be fine!