The Liturgical Home: The Tradition of Christmas Markets
Growing up in Pensacola, Florida, one of the first things we did after Thanksgiving was head to the Christmas Lighting Festival at St. Anne’s Catholic Church. It was just what you did. The church grounds were transformed into a wonderland of over a million lights, with train rides, hot chocolate, food vendors, and even tours of the old chapel. You could count on it every year; most of us went at least once, but usually several times throughout the season. I started going as a child and kept going until I moved away in my early twenties. You always ran into someone you knew. It was one of those anchoring traditions that drew the whole community together in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but that Christmas festival was part of a much older tradition. When I see photos of European Christmas markets, with their twinkling lights and wooden stalls, something in me recognizes it. The Christmas market is more than a charming winter custom or a festive place to shop; it has deep Christian roots that reach back to the medieval Church and its observance of Advent, shaped by the way communities prepared together for the birth of Christ.
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The History of the Christmas Market
The first Christmas markets began in German-speaking regions of the Holy Roman Empire during the late Middle Ages. The earliest documented Christkindlmarkt, or Christ Child Market, was in Munich in 1310, though similar markets likely existed before that. By the 14th century, it became common for craftsmen, toy makers, basket weavers, and confectioners to set up stalls selling handmade goods. These gatherings were often named after St. Nicholas, the beloved bishop and patron of children. They became the place to find small gifts for children to receive for Christmas.
The timing of these markets mattered. The Church has designated Advent as a season of preparation and anticipation for the birth of Christ. The Christmas market became a space where the spiritual and the practical met. Medieval Christians observed Christmas with rich traditions that involved special foods, meaningful decorations, and acts of charity. The market was where the community came to prepare, to gather what they needed to fully enter into the celebration of Christ’s birth.
Why Hold Christmas Markets?
These markets became part of the community’s liturgical life and served far more than a commercial purpose. Many were held near churches or cathedrals, and vendors often donated a portion of their profits to the poor. That charitable giving echoed the season’s call to mercy and almsgiving.
Since the markets took place during Advent, they weren’t just places to buy and sell; they were part of a sacred rhythm. The marketplace extended the life of the Church into the town square, inviting the entire community to prepare, not just for a holiday, but for the coming of Christ.
Celebrating Together
Communal celebration was a huge part of the marketplace. Traditional singing and dancing filled the streets, and many markets featured processions or parades, especially in honor of saints like Nicholas. Carolers sang hymns, actors performed mystery plays, and some markets even featured live reenactments of the Nativity. It was all for entertainment, yes, but it was also meant to stir a deep sense of devotion, to remind us of what Advent was preparing them for, and to pass on the faith to both children and adults.
In some towns, the opening of the market was a grand, ceremonial affair. A young girl dressed in white and gold often portrayed the Christkind, or Christ Child, and would recite blessings and prayers to begin the festivities. Her appearance reminded the crowd that everything, the music, the food, the gifts, the joy, pointed toward the miracle of Christmas.
What People Bought and Ate
Religious items were central. Nativity figurines were especially popular, a tradition inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, who created the first Nativity crèche in 1223 to help people visualize the humble birth of our Savior. Candles were sold not just for light, but as symbols of Christ, the Light of the World. Handmade toys and carved wooden ornaments became cherished gifts. Among the most beloved were Zwetschgenmännle, whimsical little figures made from dried plums, walnuts, and prunes, and Nussknacker, elaborately carved nutcrackers shaped like soldiers or kings.
Foods of the Christmas Market
The food was not only festive, but deeply symbolic. The Christmas feast marked a time of abundance following the Advent fast, and every treat pointed to the sacred. Gingerbread was a staple, shaped into hearts, stars, and religious figures. The spices, costly and rare, were used generously to honor the newborn King. After all, the Magi brought spices to the Christ Child. People also bought walnuts, associated with the Incarnation. Stalls overflowed with dried fruits, honey cakes, roasted chestnuts, and marzipan delicately shaped into saints, animals, or scenes from Scripture.
Baked goods like Lebkuchen, which was a soft, spiced gingerbread often inscribed with religious messages, and Stollen, a fruit-filled bread dusted with powdered sugar to symbolize the swaddled Christ Child, were market favorites. People ate hearty foods like bratwurst and roasted meats while shopping, or they would take them home to serve at the Christmas feast.
Drinks of the Christmas Market
Warm, spiced drinks were also an essential part of the experience, offering warmth despite the winter chill. Glühwein, a mulled red wine infused with cloves, cinnamon, and orange peel, and sweetened with honey, was the favorite throughout much of the Holy Roman Empire at the time. In the British Isles and Northern Europe, spiced beer or ale, sometimes served with toast or apples, evolved into early forms of wassail. Other drinks included hot mead (Met), a honey-based drink occasionally warmed, and hypocras, a medieval wine steeped with ginger, pepper, and aromatic spices, believed to aid digestion and warm the body.
And yes, mulled wine has been part of Christmas market tradition since the Middle Ages. But it wasn’t just about staying warm. Wine was often blessed and spiced with ingredients that recalled the gifts of the Magi, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, fragrant reminders of Christ’s kingship. Sharing a cup of warm, spiced wine became an act of fellowship and joy. When we sip it today, we are quietly stepping into a centuries-old Christian tradition, often without even realizing it.
More Than Just Shopping
What made these markets distinctly Christian wasn’t just what was sold, but why they existed. They were a way for the parish community to prepare for the Christmas feast, much like the Israelites prepared for Passover with special foods and practices. Christians bought what they needed to celebrate the coming of the Messiah: gifts, decorations, and food that made the feast worthy of the occasion.
Markets brought people together during Advent. They became places of fellowship, where stories were shared, carols were sung, and the anticipation of Christmas was felt collectively. Church bells rang out over the market square, calling people to prayer and reminding them of the season’s sacredness.
Bringing the Tradition Home
For those of us seeking to root our homes in meaningful Christian tradition, Christmas markets offer more than holiday cheer; they’re an invitation to step into an ancient rhythm.
Maybe that means visiting a local market and supporting small artisans, choosing gifts handmade with care. Perhaps it’s baking Stollen or Lebkuchen with your children while telling the story of the Christ Child. Maybe it’s making a traditional warm drink like Lamb’s Wool (recipe below) to enjoy while you light the Advent wreath.
Even now, centuries later, the longing that shaped those Christmas markets remains: preparation, community, generosity, and joy, all flowing from the Birth of Jesus Christ.
Lamb’s Wool
Lamb’s Wool is a traditional hot, spiced ale (or cider) drink. It belongs to the broader family of hot festive drinks called Wassail. The name “Lamb’s Wool” comes from the look of the drink. When we mix the warmed ale or cider with mashed (or roasted & puréed) apples, the apple pulp floats to the surface and creates a frothy, wool-like foam, resembling “lamb’s wool.”
Ingredients
- 6 baking apples, cored
- 2 tablespoons to 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 quarts sweet cider or hard cider
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
Roast the apples in a baking pan at 450°F for about an hour, or until they are soft and begin to burst. You may leave the apples whole or break them up.
In a large saucepan, dissolve the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, in the cider or ale, tasting as you go for sweetness. Add the spices. Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the liquid over the apples in a large punch bowl, or serve in large mugs.
Recipe from A Continual Feast
Looking for even more suggestions for celebrating with your family? Check out Ashley’s books, The Liturgical Home: Advent and The Liturgical Home: Christmas, on Amazon.
Image: Photo by Korng Sok on Unsplash. Digitally edited by Jacob Davis.
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