A German Christmas in the middle of Australian Summer
Hahndorf, a historic town founded by German immigrants, is located in the Adelaide Hills, about a 30-minute drive from central Adelaide. Founded in 1839 as Australia's oldest German settlement, it is still lined with buildings in traditional German architectural style, and you can enjoy pubs, cafes, art galleries, and more. As you get off the highway and approach Hahndorf, the atmosphere of the town changes suddenly, and you'll feel as if you've arrived in Europe.
A pub serving delicious German beer
Feels like you're in a European cafe
The community art called Yarn Bombing is colourful and cute.
A knitted Christmas tree!
We went into a cafe and had German breakfast.
The thing you see in the foreground is a pretzel, a baked pastry/bread that originated in Germany and is shaped like a screw. It's chewy and satisfying to eat. Of course, we also had a hearty serving of sausage. It's very filling!
On this day, a Christmas market was held in Hahndorf.
There were about 50 stores, where you could buy works by local designers and handmade goods.
Handmade accessories
Some very nice smelling soy wax candles
Adorable cacti that you'll want to take home with you
The weather was nice so everyone was relaxing.
Among the many shops, BRUT CAKE was by far the most popular.
BRUT CAKE is actually designed by my friend Nicole, a designer from Taiwan. Her creations are colourful and cheer you up just by holding them. They are full of playfulness, with items like bags made from traditional Chinese fabrics and mugs with various smiley faces on them.
Nicole and I (right to left) - I helped out a little at the store.
Australia is a cosmopolitan country with a large immigrant population. While Adelaide is smaller than Melbourne or Sydney, people from diverse backgrounds naturally mingle here. Some people bring skills they developed in their home countries to start new lives in Australia.
Nicole, the designer of BRUT CAKE, is one of my mom friends who lives nearby. She built her own brand in China and is now developing it from scratch in Australia.
At the Christmas market held in the German-speaking town of Hahndorf, you can enjoy works by Taiwanese designers. Adelaide's markets offer not only local products, but also a wealth of other wonderful items.
I visited many markets this year.
You're sure to find something new every time you visit, whether it's something you can only find there or something you've never seen before. Adelaide is a city with so many markets that there's one somewhere every week.
I hope I can share a little bit of Australia's charm with you again next year.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season full of laughter, cosy family moments, and time to just relax and enjoy each other's company.
Happy holidays!
