European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tis the season % Good food got gifts Are easy to find at the  Crystal Laureano staff writer if you re still shopping for the holidays or just looking for the Holiday spirit Germany s Christmas markets Are the place to be. Whether they re called  or Weinacht Markt one thing is for sure a you la find an Opportunity to buy gifts and plenty of food and drink. Not to mention the spirit of Christmas. Nearly every German town hosts a Christmas Market from the Small villages to major cities. The markets in bigger cities Are usually open every Day beginning with the first sunday of Advent until dec. 23. Smaller villages May have their markets open Only on weekends. It is at the Christmas markets that you will be sure to find the warm drink that is a German Holiday favorite go Uhlein. It s a spicy red wine concoction served hot that will warm you from the inside out on a Chilly Winter Day. A nonalcoholic children s version made with punch called  is usually available As Well. Vendors from around Germany come to the larger Christmas markets to sell their wares. A few hours of shopping at one Large Market should be enough to satisfy every person on your gift list. Two of the bigger Christmas markets Are in Mannheim and Frankfurt. The larger of the two is Frankfurt s Market which stretches several blocks from the Omerberg City Hall Square on the West Side of the main River adjacent to Sachsenhause. Hundreds of vendors have gathered there this year to offer nearly every imaginable Choice of gifts. Leather or suede gloves sheepskin slippers knit neck scarfs and leather bags top the list in the area of attractive yet practical gifts. There Are things to decorate the Home such As Oriental fans pottery items decorative candles handmade puppets and hand Woven rugs. A special attraction in Frankfurt is fresh Mistletoe and of course there Are stands filled with Holiday decorations As Well. There Are some rides for the kids but the most spectacular is a two tiered Carousel in the City Hall Square. One ride costs 2 German Marks about $1.30. On fridays saturdays and sundays there is musical entertainment at the City Hall Square beginning at 5 10 . Weekdays Are the Ideal time to visit the Frankfurt Christmas Market but if you dare to go on the weekend beware. This Market area becomes very crowded and the usually sparse parking space becomes nonexistent on the weekends. One solution is to take the underground train from the Holzhausen Strasse Stop outside the Abrams Complex. There is a parking lot nearby. If driving take the Frankfurt South exit off autobahn 5 to Sachsenhause. It is advisable to Park Here and walk across the Bridge to the Market area. A German couple inspects the wares at the Frankfurt Market. Mannheim s Market is in the downtown area near the famous water Tower or was Berturm and the Rosengarten concert and convention Hall. Many of the same types of items found at the Frankfurt Market Are available at the Mannheim Market with one exception. For 15 Marks or about $10, you can have your Silhouette transformed onto Black paper by a world famous master. Jacques Mateos was listed in the guinness Book of world records in 1982, 1983 and 1984 for his precision and accuracy in cutting from a Sheet of paper a facial Silhouette in about a minute. Even if you Don t want one watching Mateos work is entertaining. Although the Mannheim Market is smaller the variety of Booths is still big. It is a bit More relaxing less crowded and offers More in the Way of rides for the kids. Here too you can find something for nearly everyone on your list at a variety of Price ranges. There is entertainment every night at the Mannheim Market beginning Between 4 and 6 . Mannheim s parking problem is not As severe As in Frankfurt Anco there Are several parking garages in the area. An alternative to driving is to take the Streetcar from the Stop in Benjamin Franklin Village next to the i miss near the traffic Circle straight into the Market area. If driving to the Mannheim Market take autobahn 6 or 5 to Highway 656 toward the Mannheim Stadt Mitte or City Center. Stay on the same Road following the signs to the Rosengarten. When you see the Rosengarten Center on the right the Christmas Market area will be on the left. Heidelberg although one of Germany s larger cities has a Small Christmas Market. Only about a dozen Booths Are there this year. But if ambiance is More important than shopping possibilities you can t beat the sight of the famous Heidelberg Castle overlooking the Christmas Market site in front of the holy ghost Church in the Altstadt or old City. The Market is set at the Edge of Heidelberg s shopping District in Case you get the shopping urge. To get to the Heidelberg Christmas Market take autobahn 5 to Highway 656 toward Heidelberg. Turn left at the first traffic Light when you enter the City and follow the Road along the River. Once you re in the old City area take any parking you can find and walk to the c enter of the old City. Dec Ember 17, v 92 stripes Magazine