Toy Town
Date: 12/10/2007
Monday, Dec. 10, 2007
Seiffen, Germany
Learn more about Germany in International Living Postcards--your daily escape
Snowflakes swirling in the air and the strings of electric candle lights in the streets of Seiffen are a sure sign that Christmas is approaching. People crowd at the wood carvers’ and turners’ stores to buy the unique handcrafted Christmas ornaments and decorations, or watch the artisans making nutcrackers, incense burners, wooden miniatures, and traditional motifs.
In front of Seiffen’s biggest store, a 15-foot-tall pyramid is spinning, and in the window, a wooden Santa pulls a toboggan loaded with small Christmas parcels. The smell of mulled wine wafts across the street. During Advent season, you can enjoy the Christmas atmosphere in Seiffen and the traditional cuisine in its restaurants and guesthouses.
Surrounded by the dark, dense forests of Erzgebirge near the border of the Czech Republic, the town of Seiffen is famous for its wooden Christmas art. This has been the case since the early 18th century, when the tin mines, which people were dependent upon, dried up. The townspeople began wood carving and turning to make a living in this rough mountain range. The family-run workshops first produced plates, spoons, whisks, knobs, and other products for daily use, but soon expanded their assortment by making wooden dolls, angels, farm animals, miniature houses, building blocks, and Christmas ornaments, sawn out from ply wood.
The Christmas and Toy Museum shows how the artisans of the 19th century used their tools and machines in the workshops. The exhibition displays all the traditional products from the beginning of wood processing to the final products. You can browse through historical documents, old catalogs, and sample books while the kids play with wooden bricks, build miniature fortresses, or watch the artists make Christmas stars.
At this time of year, there is enough snow in the mountains for cross-country skiing...so rent some skis and enjoy the winter scenery of Seiffen.
Joerg M. Unger
For International Living
P.S. Get accommodation information and more details on Seiffen.
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