Christmas markets are an absolute joy to visit during the Holiday season. As someone who considers themselves a Christmas market aficionado, I have come up with a list of the best possible tips to get the most from your Christmas market visits. 

Tips For Getting The Most From Your Christmas Market Visits: 

1. Visit At Night. 

One of the things that you should do is schedule your Christmas market visits at nighttime. While you can visit them during the day as they are typically open, they are going to be much prettier to visit during the later hours of the day. That way, you can experience the sparkling lights in the dark and experience the changed festive atmosphere at night. 

2. Visit Different Markets. 

While it might be tempting to visit one and be over with it, you will want to broaden your horizons. Instead, you should look to visit at least three different markets. After all, each market has its own ambiance with its own decor and specializations. Because of this, you should be planning a trip to a minimum of three to get the most out of your entire experience. You will only be able to reach the one located at Fraueninsel via boat transportation. It is the only one that you will find in Germany on an island. Whereas, in Munich itself, you will find 17 unique Christmas markets each with its own specialization. Check out this list of the best top 10 traditional Christmas markets.

3. Go Thirsty and Hungry. 

One of the best things about Christmas markets, in general, would be the food and the drinks. Because of this, you will want to go hungry and thirsty. You will find all kinds of different foods especially at a German Christmas market where you can find specialty foods and beverages that are only available during the Christmas time of the year. This includes must-haves like Lebkuchen which is gingerbread and even Kinderpunsch which tastes much like Kool-Aid. You will be able to take advantage of the regional specialties at the market which can really be a fun and rewarding experience. 

4. Visit With Your Friends And Family. 

Another good tip to implement is to try visiting with both your friends and family. You will be able to have a much better overall time by visiting with your friends and family because you will be able to hang out with them in a great atmosphere and celebrate the time of year with them. If you are going to be hanging out for a long time with your friends and family, you should dress appropriately because the weather can get very cold. 

5. Look For Local Specialties. 

Whenever you are going out to Christmas markets which specialties, you should be seeking them out. You want to look at each market individually and try the specialties it offers. For instance, the one in Nürnberg specializes in gingerbread. Therefore, you want to ensure that you try it. Whereas, other markets specialize in other foods. 

6. Wear Gloves. 

Wearing gloves is a good tip because these markets can get very cold. However, you do want to be sure that you are going to be able to hold objects like cups while at the market. The best way to ensure that you remain warm but don’t lose the inconvenience of having a strong grip without gloves is by wearing finger-less mittens or gloves.

Tis the season once again and you must be riveting from all the Christmas card ideas that you have in mind. Whether you choose a theme such as construction Christmas cards made especially for your builder husband, or an astronaut theme for your little dreamer, this article offers some of the freshest ideas on exactly what you should write inside.

First things first

It can be tricky to let your loved one feel how special they are through Christmas cards. As it is tradition, almost every one of them can seem repetitive. When you think about it, at least 9 of 10 cards that you have received last Christmas probably read something along the lines of “Dear Mom, Merry Christmas. Love from all of us.”. Christmas cards have become predictable and, worst case, insincere. So if you are writing a Christmas card, try to find inspiration to show your loved one how much Christmas together means for you.

The first thing you ought to do is to choose a Christmas card design. This is not always easy given possibly the million choices that you can select from. You can start by narrowing it down to themes that you think fits your the one you are giving the card to perfectly. There are some considerations you have to take into account as well like religious beliefs, stature, relationship with the receiver and even cultural background. From cute to formal, from straightforward to touching, there is a design that will fit each one. But, if you think you are up to the task, you can also design one yourself. Keep in mind however that it may take a few skills with the photo editing tool and a lot of work and patience if you are not used to it. But that extra mile you do will definitely be appreciated by the receiver and you should do that if you could.

As is tradition, Christmas cards often come with pictures with families or loved ones. You pick the most gorgeous one you have in stock, or better yet, make a new one each year so you can commemorate each Christmas how much things have changed since the very first Christmas.

Now with all of the preliminaries out of the way, it is time to write your Christmas card message. Here are some tips for you that will hopefully add to the joyful spirit that is Christmas.

Brevity is key

Whilst you want to tell your recipients all about the entire year your family has went through, you have to keep their attention and a lengthy message will not afford you that. Keep it short and think of a feeling that you want to convey rather than a story that you want to tell. Typically 2 to 5 lines should be enough with no more than 15 words. Keep in mind that a picture already speaks a thousand words but would not take as long to read.

For your parents or grandparents

Sometimes when making cards for close family members, you might think there might be nothing else you could say, after all you call your mum and dad every day. You may be right, but it does not mean that you can’t give your loved one something a bit more special. Our suggestion is to recreate some of the pictures that your parents or grandparents have of you. As you may be living far away from them now, these pictures are all they have of you to remember you by, and now they will have the grown up version. Print the original photo in front and put the recreated photo in the back. You can then choose to have a printed message inside or you can leave it blank so you can personalize it for each recipient.

For your colleagues at work

There is a certain balance that you have to maintain when writing construction Christmas cards for your coworkers. While you would not want them to seem bland and generic, you do not want it to be too personal as it may seem insincere. Either way, the most important thing is that you give each one a card as anyone missing a card might feel like he/she is being targeted. You can have different cards for your close workmates like the ones that sit beside your desk or those you know well enough and you can do a different one for your boss. You can add a little personalization in it as well as long as you do not feel like you are overstepping any bounds. All in all, these people are probably the ones that you will be mingling with the longest throughout the year so it is important to show them that you remember them for Christmas.

Make the cards sing

When you are all out of ideas, there is nothing that feels a lot more like Christmas than sharing Christmas song lines. Pick a favorite one of better yet pick the recipients favorite line and make that the message of your card. While it may not feel as personal or as original as most would rather have it, it is a sure way to let them know that you are one with them in celebrating Christmas.

For close friends

Friends are the easiest people that you are going to talk to in your entire life because as they say friends are family that you get to choose. There is no issue in keeping it casual when talking with your friends. Write long cheesy lines to make sure that they know how you feel about them. To let them know just how exclusive is the friendship between the two of you, make sure to add a few touches that only the two of you would understand. This will make them realize that you have especially written the construction Christmas card for them. And most important of all, send them Christmas love by sending them a picture of you both.