Dec. 3 - Marchés de Noël

For a year after I finished my undergraduate degree, I lived in Colmar and worked as an Aupair. It was an absolutely wonderful experience when the markets started to prepare at the end of November. And as I walked each day with my charges, we wandered through the different markets, located in all the squares. A true feast of sensations, I'm sorry I have not had the chance to experience it again. All through Alsace and in Germany, there are Christmas markets/Marchés de Noël/Weinachtsmarkt and the lengths that towns and cities go to in setting up these sumptuous winter wonderlands is truly worth the visit.

*** December third ***

Marchés de Noël

Anticipation as December nears

Joyful

The hustle and bustle as market stalls are erected

Busy

Wooden houses line the streets and squares

Charming

Doors open, warmly lit on cold nights

Tempting

A veritable panoply of ornaments and toys

Vibrant

Hear the geese in their pens

Honking

Smell the mulled wine in the air

Citrus

Taste the sweet and spicy star-shaped cookies

Almond

Ride the mechanical horses through the forest

Swiftly

Hear the clopping of St. Nicholas’ donkey in the streets

Orange

Cheerful, romantic evenings walking the snow-covered sidewalks

Wander

Visiting the stalls, each a world of merriment

Delight

Picking out decorations, stars and hearts woven from wheat

Glitter

Basking in the wonder and joy of the children in this winter wonderland

Laughter

December is too quickly over and the doors to the market once again closed

Noël

*** Poem in Waltmarie form ***