Christmas in Berchtesgaden | Bavaria
One of the most beautiful times of the year
Christmas is one of the most beautiful times of the year in Berchtesgaden, a white mantle of snow muffles all sounds, Christmas trees are decorated with wooden toys, angels and real wax candles; many roofs lined with strings of white lights and a sense of joy and expectancy fills the air. Christmas coincides - and replaces - the old Germanic Julfest, a celebration of the winter solstice, a time that marks the point when the days begin to grow longer. According to ancient Germanic beliefs, this was a time when departed souls returned to partake of the feasts and celebrations of the mortals, thus Julfest was a time of remembrance.