German Food: Christmas Goodies

Christmas is probably a universally magical time, no matter where you are in the world. And since I've been waxing poetic for three separate posts on the wonders of German food, it's no surprise that German holiday goodies merit their own post :-D

First up is a classic that you've probably seen at Trader Joe's: the Adventskalender. From the first day of December through Christmas Eve, children happily look forward to opening up another door in their calendar and enjoying the goodies (usually chocolate) inside.

This one is clearly for mommies instead of the kiddies-- nail polish galore!

Next is Stollen, which is a kind of fruitcake. Now before you grimace in disgust, it's not like the stereotypically gross concoction, it's actually quite delicious! It's more "cake" than "jellied mass":

This next one isn't necessarily Christmas-specific and can be enjoyed any time of the year, but I tend to associate it with Christmas because that's when I usually eat it. Lebkuchen! It's akin to gingerbread, and is often coated in chocolate. It's delightfully delicious, that perfect blend of sugar and spice.

Spekulatius is another baked treat that, I believe, originated in the Netherlands (hence why you can usually find "Speculoos" at Trader Joe's or Cost Plus during the holidays). Spekulatius are thin, flat, crunchy cookies with spices like cinnamon and clove. If you've ever eaten cookie butter, you're basically tasting a creamy, spreadable version of Spekulatius :-9

 

All those baked goods would wash down really well with a hot drink, wouldn't they? While I enjoy drinking tea with them, nothing says "German Christmas" as much as their Christmas Markets, where shoppers wander through the open-air town squares and warm themselves with a glass of Gluehwein while they shop:

As the name suggests, it is made of red wine mixed with spices and heated up. I confess, I've never actually had Gluehwein, but just the sight and name of it evokes images of snowy, Christmas-y German town squares, and warm feeling of community.

What are some of your favorite traditional holiday treats?

I'm posting every day in October as part of the 31-Day Writing Challenge. Click here to read more about it and to see the rest of my posts this month!