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For as long as there have been Germans
in Canada there have been different forms of Christmas markets.
Most of them
 do not exist anymore but a few are flourishing and
prospering.
Toronto’s Danube Swabian Club still has a 3 day
successful in-house market with much the same vendors each year.
 For some of them it is a great boon to show their wares to a
familiar clientele. For others it might not be so good. Of
course it is also a way to raise money for the
 Women’s Auxiliary
and for that purpose they sell lottery tickets where one can win
a fabulous quilt or some such. They also have a
 craft stand and
often one can find some precious homemade piece of embroidery or
another handmade item that one simply never finds the time to
make oneself.
 Of course there are various traditional food stands that will
compliment what one otherwise cannot find easily or has to
travel to for too long. Gifts and innovations are popular items
and jewellery and music too, right next to lovely toys and
 tablecloths. International Furs shows what is new and greets old
friends with offerings of a remodelling job of that old fur that
does not quite suit anymore. What a great idea to give a good
piece a longer life.
 Regina’s Dirndl has lovely and feminine fashions, the
 Lesezirkel
meets and greets their clients and George Jeweller’s shows what
is new in this trade, like lovely fresh water pearls in the most
incredible colours.
 After a lengthy shopping spree a visit to
the restaurant is very satisfying. The food is really good
again, and the establishment is run well and prompt with
courteous service. We recently tried the calf’s liver, the
roulades and the goulash, and all dishes were as good as one
would make at home or better. The prices are still very
reasonable and competitive with similar restaurants.
Christkindl Market Kitchener
 The 12th edition of this
multi award winning Christmas happening had again some extra
magic:
 It snowed, not quite as beautifully as that one time way
back when we all stared to have tears in our eyes as the choir
sang "Leise rieselt der Schee" and it actually did!
| The candle
light procession |
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...leads to
the Nativity Scene |
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  This year at
the opening after the light procession led by Mary and Josef
with their 2 donkeys the opening ceremony was especially lovely.
| Opening the Market |
Wayne Wettlaufer & Sybille |
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| Listening to... |
...the voices from above
- the Grand Philharmonic Choir, Hallelujah Chorus |
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| Opening the proceedings:
Mayor Carl Zehr |
Toni Bergmeier thanks
the Mayor |
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| The men of the hour:
Toni Bergmeier... |
...and Holger Raasch,
German Consul General |
 All dignitaries arrived together and all had something wonderful
to say about this beloved event. The German Consul General was
quite smitten with the charm and feeling of authenticity, as he
always is when he meets with German culture in Canada. It makes
him feel very much at home. And that of course is the secret of
the success of this market: Europeans feel at home.
German
speaking people come from far away in busloads to experience the
ambience and do a lot of Christmas shopping.
| "Drauß vom Walde komm
ich her", Knecht Ruprecht |
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 As every year Knecht Ruprecht showed up again and the Christkind
too with two angles by its side.
 The huge Christmas tree looks
amazing when lit. How sad is it to hear that in the Oxford
Children’s Dictionary all references to the Christian religion
are taken out, as I heard on TV just now, and how grateful do
 we
have to be that we can still have such events in Canada. Here we
can experience different cultural expressions side by side. When
we lose that freedom it will be a very sad day. It is something
worth fighting for to preserve it.
As in Toronto people also come to shop. Since this market is in
the Kitchener City Hall it is quite a different venue with many
more choices and stalls of all description for toys and gifts
and food.
Toys, Decorations,
Christmas Gifts |
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There is pottery, woodworks, music, Christmas toys and
teddy bears. There are useful items like scarves and hats and
shirts and such. There are the yummy Christmas cookies and
breads and cakes. It smells of hot "Gluehwein" and "gebrannte
Mandeln", of smoked meats and fish. One can find candles and
decorative balls and table clothes, napkins in all sorts of
wonderful designs, hand-woven blankets and crafted pottery. The
choices are myriad and no one has to go home empty handed.
The best part is the nearly non-stop entertainment for four days
outside on the stage. The skaters on the reflecting pool also
benefit from the sound of Christmas music. And just before one
goes to the garage to drive home…one last look at the live
Nativity Scene.
The memories that stirs up … and the promise and resolve to come
back the following year!
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