Christmas Markets in Germany: A Festive Yet Costly Experience

By Maria Martinez

BERLIN (Reuters) – For Eva Henschke, Germany's Christmas markets provide a festive escape from the cold, offering warm mulled wine, eggnog, and grilled bratwurst.

However, rising prices mean she must be careful about spending. "When I come here, I buy something. But you have to pay attention to the prices," Henschke noted at the market near Berlin's Memorial Church, established in 1948 amidst preserved World War II ruins.

Record-high costs for festive treats prompt market traders to adopt new strategies like all-inclusive tickets and special themes to attract visitors.

"A crisis makes you creative," said Fabian Lau, managing director of FARO Group, who introduced Germany's only all-inclusive Christmas market. The Christmas Market at the Spree offers unlimited mulled wine and German specialties for €29.90 ($31.48) on weekdays after 8 p.m. However, weekends are pricier, with tickets costing €45.90.

Lau reported extremely high demand for these tickets, with over 1,000 sold daily and 90% already purchased for this season.

CJ, an international student, remarked, "With the all-inclusive ticket, I think people just come here with an empty stomach."

Other creative draws this season include markets catering to dogs, complete with a dog show, and unique locations like an abandoned spy tower.

Berlin's 60+ Christmas markets make it the capital of such festivities. Christian Taenzler of Visit Berlin explains that winter has transformed from the off-season to a bustling period since the 2000s.

In both traditional and new markets, Gluehwein (mulled wine) now costs a record €5 per mug, up from €3.25 before the pandemic. Price hikes result from high energy costs and staff shortages, according to Luba Levkina from activa, which organizes mobile Christmas markets.

Despite the price increases, mulled wine vendor Sedat Sarikurt reported steady sales: "But we observe that both tourists and locals still buy mulled wine. It's once a year that we have Christmas."

($1 = 0.9500 euros)