What belongs to Christmas for you absolutely? Well, for me, nothing goes without candles, lights and baubles during Advent. I don't run to the Christmas market because I like crowds so much. No. It's that unique atmosphere that makes it. The glow all around.
But wait? All around? No way. The main shopping street of the largest city in the state of Hesse, which attracts people from the surrounding area like crazy to shop before the holidays, where tourists travel to spend their money here and should, on that main shopping street also known as "Zeil", there is loveless darkness.
Zappenduster on the Zeil
Every year among the resident shopkeepers wobbles apparently<link https: www.hessenschau.de wirtschaft _blank> the financial understanding, so that only the individual shops provide atmosphere. Especially the big chains stay out of the money for the lights. But if it were only the money, <link https: www.faz.net aktuell rhein-main frankfurts-einkaufsstrasse-hat-keine-weihnachtsbeleuchtung-15915021.html _blank>in fact the lighting of Frankfurt's most important shopping street failed due to various, tricky reasons.
The more I enjoyed walking along Berger Straße a few days ago. The lower section, located in the north end, is <link https: www.frankfurt-tipp.de ffm-aktuell s ugc untere-berger-glaenzt-mit-oekostrom-und-led-leuchtmitteln.html _blank>hung with the longest string of lights in the city (about two kilometers long) left and right along the trees - a red carpet could not unfold a sea of lights more beautifully.
And even if the Zeil is now pitifully sparkling, the "Pink Christmas Market" in the city centre offers atmosphere at its best, as does the movie-set-ready courtyard of the historic Thurn und Taxis Palais.
Let's get this straight: I don't need constant lighting all year round. Quite the opposite.
If important and prestigious buildings in the city are constantly shining, then for me personally the wow effect wears off at some point.
Besides that, it hardly ever gets really dark in our region. So, I don't think we need any more light all year round.
However, at Christmas, those precious, special weeks of the year when everything slows down a bit and becomes friendlier, it's okay to shine, sparkle, twinkle.
More and more of you seem to be feeling the same way and are gearing up in your own windows and front gardens. Each to their own taste, whether the stores let it shine or not.
And when the reindeer, tree and snowman shine full blast at night, it always brings a smile to my face. If Christmas is supposed to be, among other things, the celebration of joy, then others give me especially much of it with their fairytale decorations.
Where does Frankfurt glow most beautifully for you? Are you decoration fans?