The Christkindlmarkt Story

In the 16th and 17th centuries in the mountainous areas of Germany, toymakers would gather in the villages in the weeks leading up to Christmas to sell their wares. Many villages would use that time as a chance to get together and enjoy a little festival, since the work of harvest would usually be over and the winter would only just be beginning. For children it was a magical time, since many lived on farms or in the villages themselves and did not often see what new wonders the toymakers had invented, or see what was new in the wider world. So the annual gatherings of toymakers were very popular, not to mention they were a major source of income for the villagers who would busily prepare the sausages, mulled wine, and baked goods for weeks in advance. From the end of November through Christmas Eve, beautifully decorated booths line the main square or "Platz" and the holiday spirit runs wild, with crafts, entertainment, choirs, and wonderful food!� The most popular and well-known market is the Nuernberg Christkindlmarkt which derives its name from the Christ-Child which is carried through the streets by the children of the city in the toymakers parade, and placed in his manger on Christmas eve.

Tradition has it that the Christkindl was added to the parade some time after the toy fairs became popular destinations, when local clergymen became concerned that all the activities and commercial endeavors might drown out the manger story, and persuaded the businessmen to make the Nativity Scene at the main church in the village the destination for the procession of the children of the village at the end of the parade.� Soon it became the practice for one lucky child to place the baby in the Manger.

Today, most major cities in Germany and Austria have Christkindlmarkts, and� over the centuries, Christkindlmarkt has spread to the United States, with famous markets in Chicago, Illinois, and� Bethlehem and Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, that draw millions of visitors annually.

FRONT ROYAL's Christkindlmarkt is seven years old this year and we are proud to join with Heaven Sent Shoppe, Americana Signs, and our beloved and faithful patrons to make it better than ever. We wish you a most joyous and blessed Holiday season! Froehliche Weihnachten! Joyeuse Noel! Feliz Navidad!

- Steve & Maggie Sill, Event Co-Chairs