Europe's Best Christmas Markets

For those who want to spend their Christmas holidays in Europe, here are some places. I think you will enjoy visiting these places. You can pick up handmade gifts, savor roasted chestnuts and mulled wine, find many interesting things.

BARCELONA - Fira de Santa Llúcia

        Dating from 1786, this traditional Christmas fair has expanded to more than 300 stalls selling all manner of handcrafted Christmas decorations and gifts, along with mistletoe, poinsettias and Christmas trees. The most popular figure on sale for Nativity scenes is the curious Catalan figure of the caganer(crapper), a small figure crouching over a steaming turd with his trousers around his ankles. Kids line up for a go on the giant caga tió, a huge, smiley-faced ‘shitting log’ that poops out pressies upon being beaten viciously by a stick; smaller versions are on sale in the stalls. There’s also a Nativity scene contest, musical parades and exhibitions, including the popular life-size Nativity scene in Plaça Sant Jaume.

Where: Pla de la Seu & Avda de la Catedral, Barcelona, Spain

When: 25 Nov-23 Dec

How to get there:

It is recommended to use the public transport in order to avoid traffic jams, especially on public holidays and weekends.

By bicycle:
Station Bicing on Avinguda de la Catedral, opposite numbers 4-6.

By metro:
Catalunya or Urquinaona stations
Liceu or Catalunya stations
Jaume I station

By bus:
Lines 17, 19, 40, 45 and 120.

By car:
Car parking on Avinguda de la Catedral and Avinguda de Francesc Cambó, next to the Mercat de Santa Caterina market. Entrance on Vi­a Laietana.

BERLIN - Christmas Market at Kaiser Wilhelm

        Berlin could easily be described as the capital of the Traditional Christmas Market, if judged on quantity alone – it has over fifty across the city every year. The market at Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche is the biggest and most popular receiving around 2 million visitors each year who come to peruse the jewellery, decorations and artwork on sale as well to indulge in the more clichéd seasonal pleasures such as chestnuts and mulled wine.

Where: Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche, Berlin, Germany

When: 25 Nov-1 Jan

Address: Breitscheidplatz

Area: Charlottenburg

Transport: U2, U9, S5, S7, S9, S75 Zoologischer Garten

BRUSSELS - Plaisirs d'hiver (Winter Wonders)

          Christmas in Brussels seems to get bigger every year. The Christmas market now extends along the streets from Grand’Place to place Ste-Catherine, covering almost 2 kilometres (1.2 miles). Each of the 240 market stalls is a little wooden-roofed hut selling mainly arts and crafts or food and drink, all of them having a pan-European flavour. By the time you reach place Ste-Catherine and the quays beyond, not only are you decently warmed up, but you’re at the heart of the festivities. The quaint stalls continue, punctuated every now and again by a 35m toboggan slope, a big-wheel illuminated with 18,000 lights and, of course, the 200 foot-long skating rink.

Where: Grand’Place to Place Ste-Catherine
When: 29 Nov-5 Jan

From Monday to Thursday and Sunday: 11am to 9pm.
Friday, Saturday: from 11am to 10pm.

Holidays:
o Tuesday 24.12: from 11am to 6pm
o Wednesday 25.12: from 2pm to 9 pm
o Tuesday 31.12: from 11am to 6 pm
o Wednesday 01.01: from 2pm to 9pm

Winter Wonders will also be accessible by the STIB and Train Brussels–Central station. Cyclists will be able to park their bikes onto one of the 100 recently installed bicycle racks.

 Wherever you are hope you enjoy your time. Countdown for Christmas and New Year starts soon! :))

Christmas Table Decorations

Today I would like to share some Christmas table decorations that I really like. If you are feeling festive with a little touch you can make your home ready for a party. Hope you like these ideas.

Delicious Christmas Ideas

Here are some creative and delicious ideas to decorate your Christmas table. Easy and yummy! 

Bon Appetit!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Just in a couple of weeks we will say good bye to 2010 and welcome 2011. With its sorrows and joy it was a year full with motions and emotions. The best part of the farewell is for sure celebrations of Christmas and New Year. I love this time because I feel myself again like a child and can enjoy all the beauties of the festivity.

Here I would like to share with you some stories and info about Christmas and New Year. Hope you will enjoy reading it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Legend of Baboushka

The Russian version of St. Nicholas is Baboushka meaning 'grandmother' in Russian. The character had been much popular in old Russia before the revolution of 1917. It was reputed that Baboushka was old woman who had no family, rarely received guests and was so used to live alone in a big house that all she could think of was cleaning, doing the household chores and looking after her empty property. One cold evening, when she was scrubbing her floors, the three Wise Men passed her house on their way to see the Holy Child. They spotted her in the window and asked her to come with them to see the new King of the world. But she refused stating that her floors were not yet clean.

She invited them to her house to spend the night but they said that they were in a hurry and bid her farewell and went on their way. Later, that night Baboushka regretted her decision of not going with the three men and gathering a few trinkets from her meager possessions, set off to find them and the Holy Child. She kept on walking inquiring to several people about the three traveling men and the Holy Child destined to be the King of the world but could not find them. It is said that she is still searching and wanders from place to place in search of them. On the eve of Epiphany of 6th of January, she also leaves trinkets as gifts to the good children in the hope that they will help her find Baby Jesus.

Christmas Recipes:

Banana Sour Cream Bread

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 6 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound) sweet potato
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.

How to Make:

A Wreath for All Seasons

We all know that first impressions count, so why not help your front door put its best face forward? This decoration extends a warm welcome to guests and allows your family's personality to shine. Starting with a store-bought grapevine wreath, you can have the whole household get into the act of customizing the embroidery-hoop ornaments in endless ways (we suggest a few easy techniques here).

Go beyond the holidays by hanging ornaments that celebrate achievements, announce happy events like birthdays and graduations, or cheer on a team. Add or remove ornaments each season, and the fun — and that terrific first impression — can last all year long.

Materials

• Embroidery hoops (see tip below)
• Solid-color fabric or canvas
• Paintbrush and paint, paint pens, or other decorating tools (see instructions for details)
• Outdoor Mod Podge

• Greenery, faux berries, or other seasonal extras
• Grapevine wreath
• Floral wire

Instructions

1. For each ornament, measure the hoop, then cut a fabric circle that's an inch larger in diameter. Sandwich the fabric between the rings of the hoop, then pull the fabric taut and tighten the screw. Trim any excess fabric.
2. Decorate the ornaments (see ideas below). Let them dry, as needed, then apply a coat of Outdoor Mod Podge for weatherproofing and let it dry. Attach the ornaments and greenery or other extras to the wreath with lengths of floral wire. For the greatest durability, hang the finished wreath in a protected spot.
3. Stamp simple shapes by applying acrylic paint to a halved apple or a leaf, then pressing it onto the fabric (practice on paper first). Add details with a paint pen.
4. For a 3-D effect, use strong glue, such as Crafter's Pick The Ultimate, to adhere collage materials like the fishing line shown here (made from a bit of cord) and metal charms.
5. Acrylic paint and a brush are great for creating bold images like our pie design, and for livening up the hoop frames (paint them before adding the fabric). For more detailed designs, such as our horse drawing, use fabric markers or paint pens.
6. Create ornaments from photos — like the dog portrait shown here — with inkjet-printable cotton sheets (we used Jacquard brand, available at craft stores). Follow the package instructions to transfer a digital shot or scanned drawing to the fabric, then use a paint pen for extra flourishes. (FamilyFun.go.com)