The Featured City and Annual Theme
The annual theme for each year’s Market is a tradition that is unique to the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market. Each year’s theme features a story or culturally significant icon from a selected city in Germany or Austria. The theme for the 2023 Christkindl Market is the Village of Seiffen.

Seiffen, Germany - The Traditions of the Erzgebirge - 2023
This year, the Borough of Mifflinburg signed a Sister City agreement with the town of Seiffen. The agreement establishes a special relationship between our two communities. We highlighted Seiffen at our 2016 Christkindl Market and, this year, we celebrate our Sister City agreement by again recognizing Seiffen as our Theme City.

Seiffen is a small town of about 2,100 people, located in the southern portion of the German Free State of Saxony. The town dates to 1324 and is located in the region known as the Erzgebirge or Ore Mountain area. The name is derived from the early history of tin and silver mining in the region from Medieval times. Mining resources depleted in the late 19th Century and the miners had to find a new source of employment. The miners turned to the rich abundance of wood from the Saxon forests and developed woodworking skills to support their families. They specialized in the crafting of toys and Christmas figurines including the famous Nussknacker (nutcrackers), Räuchermann (smoking men), Weihnachtspyramide (pyramids), and Schwibbögen (candle arches).

In addition to a few large manufacturers, many of the products are produced in the homes of Seiffen families and sold from small shops in the village. Be sure to visit the Christkindl Corner Gift Shop in our market where you can purchase Nutcrackers, Smokers, Christmas Arches and Christmas Pyramids, all imported from Germany, many from Seiffen manufacturers.