German Holiday Market 2024

Saturday, December 14, 2024
11am - 9pm

Mountain View City Hall Plaza
500 Castro Street

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Join us! Admission is free!

The German International School of Silicon Valley (GISSV) proudly presents the 2024 German Holiday Market on Saturday, December 14, 11am to 9pm.

The Holiday Market returns to Mountain View City Hall Plaza in downtown Mountain View.

Support GISSV

The German Holiday Market benefits the German International School of Silicon Valley. With locations in Mountain View and San Francisco, GISSV offers a dual language program from preschool through grade 12. Graduates earn two high school diplomas, from California and Germany.

Limited space available for new students
Learn here
how to apply for admission

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

DID YOU KNOW? IN GERMANY ...

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
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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Opportunities for your company to reach 25,000+ people
Contact
MarketSponsorship@gissv.org

Annual German Holiday Market Tradition

GISSV welcomes 25,000+ visitors from all over the San Francisco Bay Area to its cozy German Holiday Market in Downtown Mountain View. This year we celebrate 11 years!

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Our Favorite Vendors

Visit our vendors year-round!

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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...

Want to Learn German?

First ever language class? Need to brush up on German? Seeking a German diploma? GISSV's Saturday School has a class for you.

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

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