MARKET HIGHLIGHTS
Entertainment
Continuous indoor and outdoor performances keep our Market guests entertained. Indoor choral concerts by Mifflinburg Area School District students, and instrumental performances on Zither, Organ, Brass, Woodwinds, Piano, and solo vocalists give guests an opportunity to warm up indoors. Visit one of the Powerpoint presentations on Salzburg and the Alps. The Christkindl Cinema at the Buggy Museum offers another opportunity to warm up indoors. The outdoor stage is the location for small ensemble concerts, international dancers, a German band, and the ever-popular Hilby, the Skinny German Juggle Boy. Children can visit Kinderworld where they can peek into the Gingerbread House, visit the Elf School, and watch a Marionette performance nearby. Look for the Musical Christmas Tree, the Organ Grinder, the Kurrende Singers, and St. Nicholas wandering the Market.
Live Nativity
St. Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first Nativity scene in 1223 at Greccio, Italy, in an attempt to place the emphasis of Christmas upon the worship of Christ rather than upon secular materialism and gift giving. The Mifflinburg Christkindl Market features a live Nativity scene that can be found just past the main entrance on the Lutheran Church grounds. The facade of the church in the background only adds to welcome each visitor with its picturesque view.
Fantastic Food & Sweat Treats
The Bratwurst, Knockwurst, and Schnitzel are all delicious, but certainly not alone when it comes to the wonderful foods available at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market. The smell of each, along with Hungarian goulash and Schnitz und Knepp, hangs so heavy in the cold winter air that you can almost taste it. Cookies, strudel, German roasted nuts, and many other delicacies are available to visitors throughout the Market.
The Glühwein
What would a Christkindl Market be without Glühwein!? This aromatic, warming, spiced-wine has heralded and fulfilled pleasures of the holiday season for hundreds of years. Glühwein is a German Christmas essential. Mulled, never boiled, Glühwein is available for purchase at the Christkindl Pub along with or without a commemorate Christkindl mug. Several vendors also sell Glühwein in bottles for visitors to enjoy at home.
Unique Gifts
You can also watch craftsman create both spun trees (Spanbäume) and turned trees (Kräuselbäume). Christmas pyramids (Weihnachtspyramide), candle arches (Shwibbögen), nutcrackers (Nussknackern), and various types of ornaments are available for purchase within the Market.
The Prune Men
People have been collecting Zwetschgenmännla (prune men) for nearly 600 years. These funny little guys originated in Nuremberg and have become a treasured item at Christkindl markets all over the world. Visitors are welcomed to watch Sarah Miller, a local artist and our resident Zwetschgenmännla designer, create prune figures that can range from typisch Deutsch to wholly unique to the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market.
The Cancellation Stamp
The tradition of mailing Christmas cards with a special postal cancellation stamp began in Austria in 1695. That tradition continues today at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market. Mail deposited in the traditional style European post will be hand-cancelled by the Mifflinburg Post Office with the annual Christkindl cancellation image. The tradition adds special meaning to the Market and to the cards mailed from it.
At Kinder World, children can visit the Elf School, the Peek-a-boo Doll House and the Gingerbread House. Next door, children can be entertained by a Marionette Show. Check our current Market schedule for more information!
Lantern Parade
In Germany, lantern parades are held on November 11, the date of the martyrdom of Roman-soldier-turned monk, Saint Martin. Saint Martin was a compassionate man who led a quiet and simple life and is said to have cut his cape in half and shared it with a cold beggar suffering in a snowstorm. German children often make their own lanterns to celebrate St. Martin's Day, illuminating them with candles or battery lights and march through the streets singing the lantern song “Laterne.” Mifflinburg second grade students sing “Laterne” in German while parading through the Market on Friday night each year.
Visiting St. Nicholas and Other Children’s Activities
Children can visit with St. Nicholas at the UCC Church on Friday night following the Lantern Parade and partake in other children's activities.
