Austria is listed as one of the best countries to spend your Christmas vacation with your family or loved ones. This could be due to how the country really values the season and the existence of its special meaning which cannot be found in other places. Although the country is a fascinating place to visit any time of the year, the weeks that starts the advent season is truly magical that will make you witness how Austria became to be what you see today. Folk traditions are intertwined with the Christmas celebration all alive in its romantic and colorful events.
Advent season begins four weeks before the eve of Christmas, the 25th of December. This will be the start of the times when living rooms all over the place are decorated with advent wreaths that are woven from the evergreen twigs and wrapped with ribbons and attached with candles that are either hung over walls or placed prominently. Each Sunday leading to Christmas eve, one candle is lit at dinnertime, families pray together, sing Christmas carols together and even read stories about Christmas.
The existence of Christmas markets has long been an Austrian tradition and a number of these markets can be found all over the country. In Vienna, the Christmas market is held in the large square which faces the City Hall. The existence of this market can be traced back all the way to the year 1298. In Innsbruck, the market is situated at its narrow medieval square right beneath the Golden Roof. Salzburg, another popular place targeted by tourists and locals alike. The Christmas market in this place takes over the square right in front of the Cathedral coupled with picturesque stalls. Its tree vendors occupy the Residenzplatz on one side of the magnificent Cathedral. But Christmas markets not only occupy these major places but every town has its own.
Christmas trees also play very important roles in every town. They set up their own tree right at the main square and most of the time they put up an extra one which is sprinkled with bread crumbs for the flying friends, which are the birds to eat. In each families they decorate their own Christmas tree with silver and gold ornaments. Oftentimes they decorate it with stars made of straw, candy and sweets that are wrapped around with gilded nuts, tinfoil and many more. All shops close at six in the evening of the eve of Christmas.