Weihnachten -- Christmas, not yet canceled

Some pictures of the Chemnitz city center. Unfortunately, due to the high levels of corona cases, all of the Christmas markets were canceled in Saxony and surrounding states. However, there are plenty of decorations still standing.

Chemnitz at night. You see the "Neue Rathaus" (new city hall), the "Weihnachtspyramide" (Christmas pyramid) on the left, and in the background is the "Weihnachtsbaum" (Christmas tree). In every window of the city hall are "Schwibbogen" (candle arches with decorative, wooden Christmas scenes). The Schwibbogen are also in the windows of most apartments and houses throughout the city. They are a traditional Christmas decoration in Saxony originating from the "Erzgebirge" (a region in Saxony translated as the Ore Mountains).

A traditional "Weihnachtspyramide" next to the city hall. It is huge! It represents Christmas scenes and models the traditional "Erzgebirge" wooden pyramid. A true Erzgebirge Pyramide is very special and delicate, but also quite expensive... if you want on for your home, they cost between hundreds and thousands of Euros.

On Sunday, November 28th, it was the first Advent. Here is an "Adventskranz" (Advent wreath). We celebrated with "Glühwein" (hot, mulled wine), "Plätzchen" (assorted Christmas cookies), and several different varieties of "Stollen" (a traditional Christmas fruit cake originating from Dresden).