Christmas Market at the Rathaus (Vienna’s City Hall)

One of the many reasons I was excited to visit my family in Vienna in December was because I knew we would be able to visit the city’s famous Christmas markets. We visited three different Christmas markets, where I gained a deep appreciation for the frequently modest prices of handmade items on etsy (affiliate link) and Mike developed an appetite for kartoffelpuffer. This was the largest of the markets that we visited. Notice the giant advent candles in the front (some still unlit since we visited on December 11th) and the many lines of shop stalls. There were actually many more shops than are shown in this photo since the market extended quite a distance on either side.

They transformed the actual city hall into a giant advent calendar, with artwork replacing the navy blue banner for each day that passed. I’m still wondering what was behind day 24 (on the clock tower). There is no day 25, because in Austria they celebrate Christmas on the 24th. The clock tower transformed this building into Cinderella’s Palace for Emma.

The main festivities hall was decorated for Christmas, with workshops for young children. My favorite was the bakery, where 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old chefs looked like little elves rolling out cookie dough in aprons and chef hats.

And now I’m feeling homesick…

MaryAnne Kochenderfer

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MaryAnne lives in Silicon Valley with her Stanford professor husband Mike and their four children. She writes about parenting through education, creativity, and play. Mama Smiles - Joyful Parenting is a space to share crafts, hands on learning activities, and family outings that enrich lives and bring families together.