The Peace Fir at the Christmas Market in Wolfenbüttel

Wolfenbüttel in December: time for a stroll through the Christmas market, time for mulled wine, time for contemplation, time for cosiness, time for the Peace Fir.

Every year, the Christmas market is held in the old town on the Stadtmarkt square directly in front of Wolfenbüttel’s town hall. We took the opportunity to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere on the square during a visit to the city in December.

About the peace fir tree

The large peace fir, which stands in the middle of the square, is striking. Yes, that’s right, there is no Christmas tree here, there is a peace fir.

This Peace Fir has become a tradition in Wolfenbüttel at Christmas. Since 1962, a peace fir about 14 metres high has been transported from Norway to Wolfenbüttel and presented to the Druid brothers in Wolfenbüttel by the Norwegian Druid Lodge from Drammen.
The Peace Fir is regarded as a symbol of reconciliation between former war opponents, as a sign of international understanding and peace.
The fir is traditionally erected on 1 December and lit at 5 pm. I think this is a very nice tradition that highlights the real meaning of Christmas for me. In addition, the fir adds a very special atmosphere to the Christmas hustle and bustle and illuminates the Christmas market beautifully.

At the Christmas market

In the small wooden houses around the Friedenstanne, a wide variety of delicacies are offered and, of course, mulled wine is not to be missed.

In addition to the traditional mulled wine offer, I tried a variant with vodka and couldn’t pass by a mulled beer with Jägermeister either. My conclusion – it tasted good.

We ate the “Zipfel”. This is a hot dog variant where the sausage is not in the bun, but is stuck into the bun from above. It then pops out of the bun like a Zipfel cap with the ketchup and fried onions. The whole thing is not particularly easy to eat, but it tasted very good.

Anyone visiting the Christmas market this weekend should not miss the Advent market in the Kommisse. Here, artisans present their work. Several courtyards in the old town also open their doors during Advent and treat their visitors.

For me, the Christmas market amidst the half-timbered houses of Wolfenbüttel’s old town is really beautiful. In the windows of the town hall, the arches of lights shine and give the whole thing a wonderful atmosphere.