by Greta, age 7, asks the Christkind do you bring presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?, about the Pegnitz River, and Nuremberg’s old Christmas market
Dear Christkind,
My name is Greta and I am 7 years old. I live in Nuremberg, Germany, where we have the oldest Christmas market in the whole country, and my mama buys me a gingerbread heart with my name written on it in icing every single year.
First, do you bring presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Second, a geography question: what river flows near Nuremberg?
Third, a school question about my country: why is Nuremberg so famous for its old Christmas market tradition?
I left you a plate of lebkuchen and a cup of warm apple juice.
Love, Greta, age 7, Nuremberg, Germany, Nuremberg, Germany
From the Desk of Christkind
Dear Greta, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Do you bring presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Christmas Eve, arriving quietly while families finish their evening meal, so that the tree is filled by the time everyone gathers around it.
What river flows near Nuremberg?
The River Pegnitz runs right through the heart of Nuremberg, cutting the old town neatly in two, with the market square glowing gold along its banks every December.
Why is Nuremberg so famous for its old Christmas market tradition?
Nuremberg’s Christmas market dates back to at least the 1600s, making it one of the oldest in the world, and over the centuries it grew into a beloved tradition of wooden stalls, roasted chestnuts, and handmade ornaments that families return to year after year, generation after generation.
Frohe Weihnachten, Greta.
Ho ho ho, Christkind
