Saturday, December 11, 2021

The German Holiday Market is IN PERSON at the Mountain View Caltrain Station!

11 am - 9 pm


The German Holiday Market recreates the jovial atmosphere of a traditional open-air, European winter market in Mountain View's Caltrain Station. Shop for unique, handcrafted gifts from Germany and local artisans: Wood ornaments and nutcrackers from Germany, Lebkuchen (gingerbread), Stollen, chocolate, toys, ceramics, and knitwear. Taste traditional German sausages and pretzels and warm up with a mug of Glühwein (warm mulled wine), the hallmark of these winter markets. The German Holiday Market offers plenty of activities for the entire family, including live performances and arts and crafts.

You are invited to step into Germany for a day, come enjoy this seasonal celebration!

Our first priority is your safety during Covid-19. All participants and attendees are required to show proof of vaccination to enter, unless ineligible for the vaccine, and to wear a mask at all times except when eating or drinking.

For further safety, we are using tickets to manage the crowd size. But walk-ins can enter when the crowd is not too big.

Come back here soon for more details!

The German Holiday Market is 100% for the benefit of the German International School of Silicon Valley. With locations in Mountain View and San Francisco, GISSV is a bilingual school from preschool through grade 12. Open houses are coming up! Find Open House dates here.

In the meantime, get warmed up for the German Holiday Market by exploring the German traditions below ...

DID YOU KNOW? IN GERMANY ...

During a special ceremony at school - when German children set off for their first day of school (1st grade), their parents present them with a school cone filled with treats, and school supplies.

School Cone

Children learn the story of Saint Martin - how he cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save him from the cold.

With DIY lanterns and singing songs the children go on lantern parades.

Saint Martin's day is Nov 11.
Martinsfest/Laternenfest

Traditionally, children leave their clean shoes out on the eve of St. Nicholas to wake up to find them filled with a small present or sweets on Dec 6.
Nikolaus

During Easter time people gather at Easter Fires (Osterfeuer) - usually big bonfires that are ignited all over in Germany. Because fire is a symbol of light, of renewal, it signifies the end of Winter, and the coming of spring.

Easter Fire

On 11/11 at 11:11 am begins the carnival season, also known as the "Fifth Season" that finishes on Ash Wednesday in February of the following year with the main festivities happening around Rosenmontag (Rose Monday).

Carnival/Fasching

As a farewell gift to their school community graduating classes surprise everyone at their last day of school - with pranks and games.
Abistreich
German International School of Silicon Valley

Preschool-12 Bilingual Education in Two Locations in the Bay Area.

United by a desire for a German and California accredited curriculum, six German and American families formed GISSV. Instruction began in February 2000 with 34 students.

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'Tis the - German - Season

Advent Calendar

Children are given Advent calendars prior to Christmas. These are usually made of thick paper and display a seasonal scene with 24 doors. Each day...

Advent Wreath and Christmas Tree

The Advent Wreath Traditionally advent wreaths are circular, representing God's infinite love. They are usually made of evergreen leaves with four...

Stollen, Christmas Cookies & Co

Stollen (or Stolle) ... (German pronunciation: [ˈʃtɔlən] or [ʃtɔln] is a fruit bread of nuts, spices, and dried or candied fruit, coated with pow...

Mulled Wine, Flaming Spiced Wine and Punch

Glühwein  ... (roughly translated as "smouldering-wine", from the temperature the wine is heated to) is popular in German-speaking countries and ...

Smoker and Nutcracker Doll

Räuchermännchen The Räuchermann (diminutive Räuchermännchen), erzgebirgisch Raachermannel is an incense smoker, the invention of toy makers in the...

Christmas Pyramid

Weihnachtspyramiden are Christmas decorations that have their roots in the folklore and customs of the Ore Mountain region of Germany, but which h...

Holiday Music

Carols were first sung in Europe thousands of years ago, but these were not Christmas Carols. They were pagan songs, sung at the Winter Solstice c...

Weihnachtsmann, Saint Nicholas and Krampus

Santa Claus - Der Weihnachtsmann The term Weihnachtsmann is a very generic German term for Father Christmas, St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus. The Ge...

German Holiday/Christmas Markets

Weihnachtsmarkt A Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt (literally: Christ Child Market, but the term Christkind usually refers to an a...

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve (Heiliger Abend) is celebrated in Germany on December 24. It is the last day of Advent and the start of the Christmas season. Many p...

Annual German Holiday Market Tradition

Every year, GISSV welcomes 10,000+ visitors from all over the San Francisco Bay Area to its cozy German Holiday Market in Downtown Mountain View.

We will see you IN PERSON on
December 11, 2021, at
Mountain View's Caltrain Station.

Our first priority is your safety during Covid-19. All participants and attendees are required to show proof of vaccination to enter, unless ineligible for the vaccine, and to wear a mask at all times except when eating or drinking.


For further safety, we are using tickets to manage the crowd size. But walk-ins can enter when the crowd is not too big.

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Perfect Online Activity: Learn German

GISSV's Saturday School is now online! Classes for children and adults.

First ever language class? Need to brush up on German? Seeking a German diploma? We have a class for you!

Looking for a fun and activity filled summer camp for your kids? Enrollment is happening now!

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Thank you to our 2020 sponsors!

2021 Sponsorship

Learn about our advertising packages. Contact MarketSponsorship@gissv.org