Soest

Picturesque green sandstone churches and historic half-timbered houses frame the 100 or so lovingly decorated stalls at the Soest Christmas Market, offering gifts and arts and crafts from all over the world, Christmas decorations in a wide variety of shapes, colours and materials, handicraft demonstrations and, of course, culinary treats for every taste.
Every day, the Christmas angel hands out sweets to the waiting children and the tower brass player plays familiar melodies in the evening hours. At the weekend, children phone Father Christmas and from the 2nd weekend in Advent you can marvel at the Westphalian Nativity scene in St. Patrokli. The worldwide unique green sandstone ensemble "Old Town Soest" forms the impressive backdrop for one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the whole country from 27 November to 22 December.
While countless stars offer an indescribable firmament to the entire market square with its pretty half-timbered houses and also add an additional highlight to the cathedral square next to the impressive Romanesque tower of St. Patrokli, elsewhere the tower of St. Petri and the historic town hall - multicoloured and magnificently illuminated - form the impressive setting for the Christmas market. On the romantic Vreithof, the stalls meander along quaint, invitingly illuminated rows of half-timbered houses.Each of the historic squares creates a beautiful and atmospheric panorama in its own way, which complements the Soest Christmas Market in a special way. This atmosphere gives the event its special charm and has made it famous far beyond the regional borders.Traditionally, Soest's retail trade also invites visitors to an open Sunday on the second weekend of Advent (10 December) from 1 to 6 p.m."