It’s Christmas Market time, and where better to enjoy this colorful tradition than Germany? In Frankfurt the custom of Christmas markets dates to 1393. Early markets may have been devoid of Christmas trees, but they included entertainment in the form of popular ecclesiastical mystery plays. By the early 19^th century, evergreen fir trees were given a place in Frankfurt’s Christmas markets. Wealthy merchants sold the first trees inside the Römerhalle, though tree sales soon found a place in front of the town hall. Today, visitors to the city during the holiday season will find a tall glittering tree in the same spot, symbolizing the wildly popular convention.

Today, markets are held in the city’s historic area around Paulsplatz and Römerburg, and stalls line the street from the Hauptwache to the banks of the River Main. Look for treats typical to Frankfurt, including almond-studded marzipan biscuits called bethmännchen, and small figures constructed from prunes and nuts called quetschemännchen. Other local Frankfurt gifts include soaps made from apple wine, savory mustards, baking tins shaped like the bull and bear sculptures in the city’s financial district, cozy slippers, apple wine jelly and Kornmann’s Frankfurt Crown Cake Liqueur, a creamy liqueur flavored with almonds and vanilla. Don’t forget to get a mug of glühwein to sip while shopping or perusing an overview of this year’s special gifts in the log cabin positioned beneath the Christmas tree at the market entrance.

Don’t miss the city’s other sites: Book the city’s Christmas in Frankfurt escape, including an overnight stay with breakfast at a city hotel of your choice; a 50-minute Christmas cruise on the River Main; ice skating on the city rink (weather permitting); a Frankfurt Information Package; a two-day Frankfurt Card for public transportation and entrance to museums and cultural institutions; and a Christmas Market coupon book, including vouchers for one mug, one bratwurst, one mulled wine and one bag of marzipan sweets. Prices for the getaway begin at €76 (about $89) per person in a double room.