“Einen weißen glühwein bitte.”

I dropped my coins into the hands of a vendor and a warm mug of steaming, sweet glühwein replaced them in my hands. The vendor informed me I could bring the mug back when I was finished for the return of my small deposit fee (pfand). How cool, I thought, a more sustainable way to sell drinks in the chaos of holiday crowds. But, after holding the charming, little, red mug with our city’s name on it, I knew I would keep it.

As my spouse and I ventured to more Christmas markets across Europe, I quickly got caught up in collecting mugs as many markets have a specialty mug each year. After the top shelf in my cabinet became full, I realized I needed to pair it down and keep only the extra special ones – a tough choice indeed.

One of the highlights of Christmas markets for many attendees is collecting market mugs. So much so, that there are groups dedicated to sharing mug information and avid collectors even fly from the states in a race to obtain the newest styles. With unique designs like heart-shaped handles, boots or snowmen, it’s easy to see why people keep adding to their kitschy collection. The mugs often have the city name and year printed on them, so they make for a nice souvenir with a built-in collector’s stamp. Metal ornament trees help collectors hang and display their mugs during the holidays.

New yearly mugs may be limited in the future due to the collective effort in Germany and other European countries trying to reduce waste while maintaining the tradition and fun of new designs. It is highly encouraged to bring your own mug from home and reuse it while at a market.

Take note that vendors often sell different mug designs, so if you see someone with a particular pattern while strolling along, you may need to search for it elsewhere in the market. Leftover mugs from previous years are often available at Christmas markets, so if the newest one sells out, you can still add to your collection. The mugs may not be as prevalent or special in other countries. For example, many markets in France and the U.K. have reusable plastic cups.

A little history

Through wars and the Industrial Revolution, Christmas markets date back to 1296 in Vienna, Austria when Duke Albrecht authorized 140 day fairs in December. In Germany, Dresden proclaims the title of having “the oldest Christmas market in Germany” which started in 1434.

The staple drink, glühwein, gets its origin from the Romans who, as they traveled across Europe, cushioned their conquering by bringing hot alcohol. Glühwein roughly translates to “glow wine” and was named this because of the red, hot iron traditionally used for mulling. Today, there is red, white and flaming glühwein to try. Such a popular drink needed an easy and measurable way to be served, thus the tradition of mugs started, coming in a standard .2-liter size.

As markets grew across Germany, so did the desire for mugs. Köln (Cologne) is a mug collectors’ hotspot because the city is divided into six themed markets. The Gnome Market features 12 different cute gnome mugs to choose from, while the Markt der Engel (Angel Market) has a new angel design featured each year. There is even a Christmas train that you can take to each market.

Big cities like Munich, Germany and Strasbourg, France are also collector hot spots; however, some of the prettiest mugs I’ve found have been from smaller markets. My first heart handle mug was gifted to me by a friend who attended the Heidelberg market, and I got a light purple mug from Speyer one year. Kaiserslautern almost always has snowman-shaped mugs and ones with heart handles.

A few unique mugs to collect:

Dresden, Germany

What better mug to add to your collection than one from the market that supposedly started it all? The Striezelmarkt mug often has a small mitten sculpted onto the handle and features a limited edition each year.

Nuremberg, Germany

The Nuremberg mugs often take on a signature shape. They are taller with a slightly wider bottom almost resembling a stein.

Köln, Germany

You can collect six mugs, one from each market. The angel is highly sought after. Pick your favorite from Gnome Village or collect all 12.  

Vienna, Austria

Vienna is known for its red boot-shaped mug and in recent years has had heart-shaped mugs as well.

Bruges, Belgium

Another highly sought-after mug is the Nutcracker, which Bruges has had for multiple years in the past.  

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