La Capitale de Noël

Christmas has begun at large at Strasbourg, aka Santa Clause’s city. The name is well deserved, just like Hong Kong is the finance capital of the world, every single corner of this city spells Christmas in the most magical way. Its most outspoken expression is the Marché de Noël, an actual market that fills every plaza in the city with wooden Alsatian booths that sell all kinds of unique things, notably hot wine and churros. Dozens of artisans come sell their tiny masterpieces at outrageous prices, from nutcrackers to tree ornaments brighten the entire city from afar. And get this: the trees all come from Norway, so imagine the price. A special plaza is Place Kleber, which hosts the official tree, one so giant that they had to dismember the branches for transportation from Norway.

All in all, the city comes alive, which means that people (like me) who are not fond of the rain and the cold no longer think about it when they go out, because they (we) look forward to the colors and the adorable art pieces sold everywhere. And by overprized I mean that a single wooden doll the size of a finger costs 15 Euros, but that is what happens when things are NOT made in China 😛 Strasbourg actually has a committee that certifies the “quality” of a product and whether it can be sold in the marché or not depending on whether it is “authentic Alsatian” or not. Though I fully support China’s rise, I must admit it is NICE to see something made by someone who is being paid their labor’s worth.

To properly honor the spirit of the Marché de Noël, Malou took us to two German towns this weekend: Gengenbach and Fribourg. The reason is because this is actually a German tradition, so if you were to spend Christmas in any part of France other than Alsace, you’d miss the marché. So we spent last Saturday touring these towns and I think it is my favorite trip to this day. The towns themselves are not out of the ordinary; you have the average nice architecture, the spirit of a different culture, and the historical importance of events like WWII because bombs destroyed most of it. What was amazing was the spirit of Christmas. The music, the smells, the booths; it was just magical. It is a sight worth seeing, and the food is worth eating. So yes, the year is coming to an end, and despite the bad weather, the lack of money, and many other things that threaten the spirit of Christmas, spending it in “la Capitale de Noël” makes it all go away.