We all know that Christmas has become an excuse for rampant commercialism across the world. Decorations appear in stores as early as September, millions of dollars are spent on expensive gifts, and commercials tell us over and over again that our Christmas season won’t be complete if we don’t buy this or that.
And yet, there are some commercial establishments that we can nevertheless enjoy, even in this commercial season of all commercial seasons. There are some that delight us with their wares, the colors and smells. They become a destination in themselves – something we can appreciate even if we don’t buy that all important gift or decoration. We can go to these places and enjoy the sights and smells of the season, felling somehow fulfilled when we leave, even if we haven’t bought anything at all. And if we have bought something, we fell as if it is really something special – not just some thing that we unwillingly but dutifully bought.
I found two of these places today in Berlin. The first was KaDeWe – most notably the home of the second largest food department in the world.
Kaufhaus des Westens – KaDeWe
The facade may look rather gray and plain, but a world of wonder awaits inside – especially on the sixth floor, the food department. Shelves of chocolate, racks of wine, and cases of cheese, bread, and specialty meats immerse every visitor in wonderland of food. With additional Christmas lights and treats – like Lebkuchen (sort of like gingerbread) – visiting KaDeWe is as much an experience as place to buy a few gifts. The enjoyment of seeing so many colorful and different edible goods took away whatever pressure would have been expected from the commercialism of the season.
The second was the Gendarmenmarkt – a fine example of a German Christmas Market.
Gendarmenmarkt
Yet again, the oppression of commercialism was overcome by the incredible ingenuity and creativity seen in the various stands. Lights sparkled above our heads, stalls were filled with carved wood, warm clothing, shimmering jewelry, and hundreds of toys and house-hold goods. Color and texture wash over every visitor as they wander down the corridors, letting their eyes brush over hand-made gifts, fresh food, and warm beverages.
Feuerzangenbowle
An old German holiday tradition is Feuerzangenbowle. It consists of mulled wine in a large bowl, over which a cone of sugar is drenched in rum and set alight. As the sugar flames, pieces of it drop into the wine, sweetening the spiced concoction. I had often heard of this drink, but never had the privilege of trying it myself. But today I finally did. It was warm and tasted slightly of orange – delicious.
And so, in the midst of the commercial Christmas craziness, there are still places where consumers can escape to buy gifts while enjoying the holiday experience. We can, even in this time, enjoy one another’s creativity – seeing the diversity of products that mankind has made. Thank goodness.
Worth a Journey 