Munich’s Christmas Markets: Tollwood

Tollwood is more than just a Christmas market. It’s a winter festival! At least that’s what the marketing materials call it. The winter Tollwood (there’s also a summer Tollwood) takes place at the Theresienwiese, and it’s definitely the largest of the markets Munich has to offer this time of year. And probably the wackiest.

In addition to the hot spiced alcohol, carnival food, and kitsch stands typical of a Christmas market, Tollwood has several tents full of fun. There’s a food tent, which offers up delicacies from around the world. Another tent is chock full of stands selling everything from seed jewelry to business hammocks. Still another tent has lots of untalkative white people wearing stylish clothes. One of the good things about all these tents, in addition to the entertainment they provide, is that they are also warm. During a long afternoon of Christmas marketing, it’s nice to be able to go inside to warm up every once in a while.

We also found some lovely feuerzangebowle* at Tollwood, served in cups which involved little shelves for flaming sugar cubes (here spokesmodeled by Heza and AK). How can you not love that?

This guy has a fabulous sales pitch for his finger puppets. I highly recommend checking him out.

I never quite figured out what this sign means. Hunting season open on gay deer?

*a hot drink much like glühwein. To make feuerzangenbowle correctly, one soaks sugar in rum, lights it on fire, and lets it melt into the wine.

8 thoughts on “Munich’s Christmas Markets: Tollwood”

  1. Ahhh, those Feuerzangenbowle mugs are the cutest! I’ve only seen it done over a bowl with a huge sugar cone. Our neighbour makes a mean one – last time we almost passed out. I think I’ll give it a miss this year. 🙂

  2. These are all longdrinks made of Jägermeister. Hence “Jagdsaison”.
    I think “Schwuler Hirsch” contains Jägermeister and Baileys. I can’t figure why… Baileys is manly!

  3. Christina – we tried making it ourselves once with the sugar cone, but with limited success… the fire kept going out. Ever since I’ve wanted to give it another go!

  4. Thanks, Dave. Tollwood was definitely the most visually entertaining of the markts. I wish I had made it back more than once!

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