Ideas for Advent and Christmas for connoisseurs

Ideas for Advent and Christmas time

Advent doesn't have to be stressful. On the contrary! We have collected tips for connoisseurs for the pre-Christmas period. Make these weeks a part of the year to look forward to. Enjoy the stillness as the mists shroud the land. That awakens the creativity in us. Let yourself be infected by the scent of cookies that wafts out of the neighbors' windows. collect Recipes for the Christmas cookies that you make yourself. Put together your Christmas menu. Then stroll through Christmas markets and try the winter drinks that are currently popular. We have collected ideas on how you can enjoy the weeks before Christmas. Maybe there is something there that you can use to prepare for the most wonderful time of the year.

👉 Culinary Tours Germany – Slow Travel, regional specialties and experiences

 

 

 

Tips for the Christmas Season

There are many ways you can turn the pre-Christmas season into a special experience for connoisseurs. We have put together some tips and present them here.

 

 

Visit Christmas markets in 2025

There is hardly any other place where you can get into the Christmas spirit more than at Christmas markets. But not all of them are the same. There are often big differences between Advent markets. If one is more traditional, the next may specialize in a particular theme. There are Christmas markets where customs play a big role. Others concentrate on the Christmas theme of a particular country. Still others are more avant-garde. There are many variations. We present some examples here that you can visit in the run-up to Christmas.

 

Our Christmas market tips

There are few places that evoke the Christmas spirit quite like a Christmas market. And it turns out that not all markets are the same. Some are traditional, others modern, or themed.

A few particularly beautiful markets from our collection:

• Christmas markets in Vienna – Moments of pure enjoyment between mulled wine and Baumkuchen.
• Romantic Christmas Market Heidelberg – the most beautiful spots in the old town.
• The Christmas market at the Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin – elegant, central and atmospheric.

Tip:If you're into slow travel, look out for markets in the evening shortly before closing time – then it gets quiet and especially atmospheric.

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New Recipes for Advent

You can enjoy the pre-Christmas period during the hours that you spend with preparing your feast. We like to be in our kitchen on gray December days and bake or cook together. This is a very special kind of fun for us. Since we travel a lot, time is usually tight to cook ourselves. Thus we enjoy this time a lot, when we collect recipes and choose what we prepare for the days before and between the holidays. In our articles we introduce you to some of these recipes.

 

New Recipes for Advent

The time before Christmas is a great opportunity to get active in the kitchen. We especially enjoy it. The weeks leading up to Christmas are a time of pure indulgence for us.

Here are a few recipe links that we bake ourselves time and time again:

• Oatmeal cookies with apricots & marzipan
• Vegan vanilla crescents without egg
• Simple Christmas desserts with speculoos in a glass
• Gingerbread recipe – from my mom
• Plum Pudding Recipe – Make Your Own Christmas Pudding

NoteThese recipes come from our own kitchen – we learned them while traveling or within our family and optimized them.

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Gift ideas for slow travelers and connoisseurs

You probably know the feeling. Every year, in the run-up to Christmas, we rack our brains trying to figure out what to give our loved ones. It's often not that easy. That's where gift idea lists come in handy. We've compiled ideas for travelers, hikers, campers and RV enthusiasts, and cooking and baking fans. We've also included a general gift idea list that might help you with your search.

 

Current gift ideas for slow travelers and gourmets

Every year the same question: What should I give as a gift? I've selected a few scroll-and-click-friendly recommendations for you – including gifts for hikers, campers, gourmets, and travelers. (These are affiliate links, marked with *: if you buy, we receive a commission, at no extra cost to you.)

My top recommendations:

• A high-quality travel backpack made with sustainable materials * – ideal for slow travel.
• Coffee grinder / Portable espresso machine for on the go. *
• Slow travel or gourmet experience voucher * – e.g. regional specialties or wellness experiences from the Alpine region.
• A voucher for a short break * – ideal for unwinding in between.
• Cookbook with international recipes * – for a home-based culinary experience.
• Weatherproof yet stylish outdoor jacket * – for winter hikes or Advent walks.
• A custom-made picnic basket with a blanket * – for a winter picnic under the Christmas tree or a mulled wine walk.

 

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Advent trips for gourmets

A trip during Advent is particularly enchanting. Cities like Salzburg, Nuremberg, and Strasbourg transform into luminous Christmas wonderlands, making the magic of the pre-Christmas season tangible. Strolling through festively decorated markets, the air is filled with the aromas of cinnamon, mulled wine, and roasted almonds. Handcrafted gifts and regional specialties invite exploration. River cruises along the Danube or Rhine also offer a special experience at this time: as the ship glides gently through winter landscapes, guests can enjoy shore excursions to atmospheric Christmas markets. Those seeking a more tranquil experience will find contemplative alternatives in smaller towns like Bad Ischl or Mittenwald. Wellness hotels entice visitors with special packages – ideal for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle. An Advent trip uniquely combines indulgence, culture, and relaxation.

 

 

Fancy an Advent journey full of lights, scents and winter magic?

Discover atmospheric wellness experiences, charming Christmas markets, and special river cruises for the most wonderful time of the year.

 

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Experience European Christmas Customs before and after Christmas

Advent is also a time when many regions reflect on customs and traditions. Many of these customs are very old, some even dating back to pre-Christian times. It's fascinating to see how much some customs differ from region to region. In the Alps, St. Nicholas, accompanied by Krampus figures, roams the valleys in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The Perchten tradition also dates back to pre-Christian times. These figures drive out winter, but they are only seen during the twelve days of Christmas. There are also various versions of the Perchten. The wooden masks of many Perchten are meant to banish winter, while the "Schönperchten" (beautiful Perchten) herald the arrival of spring. Therefore, these suggestions extend not only to the Advent season but also to the twelve days of Christmas and the period after the New Year.

 

Tips for Christmas traditions

The pre-Christmas season is also a time for customs: In the Alps, for example, figures like Krampus sometimes roam the valleys before Christmas. This custom dates back to pre-Christian times.

If you love slow travel, it's worth visiting a smaller village – with fewer tourists and more peace and quiet. Silence, tradition, a market with regional crafts: exactly that.

👉 Also, check out our short video about the tradition of woodcarvers and craftsmen in the Ore Mountains. This makes you want to explore them yourself.

 

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Make the most of the pre-Christmas season: Stroll through Christmas markets, bake a favorite recipe, give a gift that brings joy – and treat yourself to a truly indulgent experience. Enjoy some downtime instead of getting swept up in stress. You'll see: These weeks can be magical.

👉 Discover all our Culinary tours Germany

 

 

Do you know this?

• Customs in Austria in winter
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• Advent in Salzburg
• Waldviertel holidays in Advent
• Hotel Schwarz Alm in Advent - Winter in the Waldviertel
• Sweden
• Autumn travel

 

Source of tips for the pre-Christmas season: our own research. Some of this research is based on press trips to which we were invited by destinations. We are very grateful for this. Others, however, we financed ourselves. As always, our opinions remain our own.

Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs as well as TravelWorldOnline and Azlin Bloor, Lin's Food
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline