Musicians, Christmas market, Urbino, Italy

So much to do and Christmas is already here!

Today I woke up with a lot of fog outside, like nearly every morning. Why did I come here for the Christmas time? Anyway: Christmas is not a holiday I am crazy of. That has many reasons. One is that everything has to be perfect although sometimes it is not. And the gifts.. that is another thing I don’t like too much. Not that I don’t like gifts, of course I do! But because it’s the whole year I make gifts. Every time I see something I think is perfect fpr someone I make a present to that one. And just in the run of Christmas I never ever find anything I want to gift.

So as I live alone I don’t celebrate Christmas (accept I go to stay with friends like last year in Ischia). I use the time to work at my blog (this year). Yes, I do. No one calls me, no one writes me, I am completely alone.

Balloons at a Christmas market, Urbino, Italy

But I had something very christmassy in early December. I had a visitor and we’ve been to explore Christmas markets in the Marche region. And it was such a nice experience!

Painter, Christmas market, Urbino, Italy

I know these kinds of markets from Germany. They are often very commercial but if you choose the right one there are markets with a lot of great handcrafts.

And exactly that was what we found in Italy. All the markets we visited in three days were full of ideas and great work.

Painters to show their abilities, open fires to warm up your hands, lots of lights in the streets… a very festive atmosphere.

We saw a lot of innovative ideas. Sand paintings that move between to glasses building up always new pictures, landscapes or oceans. Candles with so many colors that is was impossible to choose one. They were all so beautiful. Angels hanging around like flowing in from the rainy skies. The so famous owls everywhere. I liked the cat version more.

Very funny we thought an animal carriage in Candelara. A man had nearly all kinds of small house animals on a small carriage and wandering around in the cobbled streets of the village. Most funny were the geese just walking together with him and – I guess – telling a Christmas carol. Most appreciated by children of course.

I loved the decorations in the shops in most villages and cities like Urbino. Lights, lots of white and gold or silver although this year I am mainly attracted by bronze.

At Urbino we saw some people dressed like in the middle age. That gave us even a greater feeling of the time when Jesus was born. The music was great as well.

Christmas light decorations, Urbino, Italy

There is a lot to see on these Christmas markets in Italy. Of course they were missing the Glühwein (molded wine) and the typical smell of cinnamon and vanilla like I know from Northern countries markets. But there were a lot of cheese, raw honey and cold meat, all organic and homemade.

The biggest difference I found is that the Northern country have a lot of stands were to eat and drink. More than others with goods. Here in Italy I hardly saw them. It was so much better as one can explore the many ideas people have for creating beautiful products, gifts, utilities and more. I really enjoyed walking on these markets!