THE Magazine

**Strasbourg’s Christmas Markets Remain as Magical & Community-Minded as Ever** In 2025, the enchantment of Christmas continues to captivate both locals in Strasbourg and visitors from across the globe. And each year, this festive spirit is matched by a growing wave of solidarity, with everyone playing their part.

A unique opportunity to meet the people who create, design and craft original pieces.

Discover these places where you can find unique gifts, original pieces and works crafted by passionate designers.

Strasbourg is not known as the Christmas Capital for nothing: as the festive season approaches, the whole city embraces the tradition of sharing.

For its second edition, Sapin Solidaire invites you to bring joy to 300 children in vulnerable situations.

With their generous butter and vanilla fragrance, Butterbredle are the gourmet soul of Alsatian Advent. These golden shortbreads, once prepared with the family, are now enjoyed between two glasses of mulled wine. A classic that never gets old.

Spritzbredle, the golden gems of Strasbourg's Christmas markets, combine tradition and refinement. Their delicate shapes, created using a piping bag, and their melt-in-the-mouth texture make them an essential part of the festive season in Alsace. A recipe that has been passed down through the centuries to warm up your Christmas tables.

Zimtsterne, or cinnamon stars, have been lighting up the festive season in Strasbourg since the Middle Ages. Their white icing, like a touch of snow, and their spicy softness make them a delight for both the eyes and the taste buds. A recipe that makes Christmas shine.

In 1994, two members of Kiwanis Strasbourg, André Boursin and Jean Louis Hering, came up with the idea of erecting a large fir tree on Place Kléber and creating, according to the club's motto, a place for sharing "for the children of the world".

As it does every year, the City of Strasbourg supports local associations by welcoming them to the foot of the Grand Sapin Christmas tree. This tradition provides an opportunity to share, listen and discover the associations, fostering a spirit of solidarity during the festive season.

Strasbourg, the Christmas capital, is known and recognised for the splendour of its numerous illuminations, which transform the city into a veritable showcase of light.

Step behind the scenes of Strasbourg, Capital of Christmas, and discover the collective effort that makes the city and its Christmas Market shine year after year.

At Strasbourg, Capital of Christmas, craftsmanship takes centre stage: local creations, Alsatian know-how, and events dedicated to the arts and crafts.

She appears in the 16th century as a popular avatar of the Christ Child, and in 1570, she lends her name to Strasbourg's Christmas market, the Chrìstkìndelsmärik.At the end of the 19th century, Alsatian families begin to freely adopt various traditions. Thus, the Chrìstkìndel also makes its way into Catholic households, before being supplanted, a few generations later, by Father Christmas.

Standing in the heart of the square, the Grand Sapin is one of the symbols of Strasbourg as Christmas Capital. Every year, the public follows its journey from the forests of the Vosges to Strasbourg, like a breathless soap opera! Cutting, transporting, placing on the square, decorating... everything is closely scrutinized, heralding the arrival of the eagerly-awaited annual event as early as October. At its foot, an enchanting setting allows us to immerse ourselves in a privileged setting, for the time of a dream or a pretty photo.