Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - An Evening at a German Christmas Market

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Starting point is 00:02:33 Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. My name is Thomas and it's a pleasure to have your company. Tonight's story was written by Alicia Stefan and will be read by Simon. We're going to bring some extra festivity to your dreams, with a cozy stroll through a charming German Christmas market. Although outdoor marketplaces are found all across the world. Cities around Germany are particularly renowned for this happy, yolteid custom. For a short time each year, people in towns across the country come together in a gathering that celebrates music, crafts, delicious foods, and the wonder of childhood. We'll explore alongside them tonight, taking in all the magical experiences of the season.

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Starting point is 00:04:29 It would be great to have your company. The first seven days of your premium subscription are free and you can cancel at any time. You can also gift a subscription to a friend or loved one this Christmas or any time of the year. For more information on all of our plans and on gift subscriptions visit GetSleep.com-support or just follow the link in the show notes. Thanks so much everyone. So now, let's take a moment to unwinding before we begin our story. Enjoy a few deep breaths to help you relax into the comfort of your bed. Then, allow yourself some time to think back over the day just gone. judgement. Let's each memory that comes up, just gently cross your mind and receive its

Starting point is 00:05:52 moment of acknowledgement. It's easy to fall into a trap of replaying standout moments over and over again. And it's one of the most common things that keeps us from falling asleep at night. By just calmly giving your mind permission to process those moments and memories from their day. You can then let each of them drift away from your attention, as if you've checked them off the list, allowing you to move on. Though it may still feel fresh in your mind, the events of today are now a thing of the past. in the present and the present moment is all we have. So once you've checked off anything in the mind that's vying for your attention, you can

Starting point is 00:07:20 return to the present moment. Right here and right now, you are ready to relax and rest. As you leave the past where it belongs. Invite your imagination to tune into Simon's gentle voice and the sights and sounds of our festive story. We're going to take a stroll into the heart of a classic German town. At the centre of its oldest quarter, we'll join the merriest gathering of the season. This is where our story begins. As you step outside your quaint hotel, you can tell that it's going to be a perfect holiday evening.

Starting point is 00:08:59 The weather couldn't be more ideal for the beginning of the winter season. There is an invigorating chill in the air. You inhale deeply and feel revived. After the sleepy warmth of the fireside in the hotel lounge, this is just the walk you need to clear your head. And if you're not mistaken, a snowfall is imminent. You can sense it in the atmosphere. It's already dark out, even though it's not quite dinner time.

Starting point is 00:09:52 At this late time of the year, when the shortest day and longest night are approaching, you are grateful for holiday celebrations. December may not offer much daylight, but the nights are bright with activity, especially here in the picturesque old town. We are about to visit a famous Christmas market. With a sense of anticipation, you set out to cross the cobblestones. The air is cold, but it is also still, so it is quite pleasant. You button the top of your coat all the way up and adjust your soft scarf, burying your chin deep inside.

Starting point is 00:10:41 The shops along this well-traveled street in the pedestrian area of the Old Town are closed for the night. However, people are flowing like a gentle current into the very center of the city. Rather than feeling like the town has gone to bed, there's a sense that everyone is about, but nobody is interested in errands. The Christmas market is a special occasion. That's where everyone is going. They have been looking forward to it for weeks.

Starting point is 00:11:26 Your footsteps echo quietly from the walls around you on the street. Each building you pass is hundreds of years old. As you walk, you look curiously at each and every one, taking in the charm of the original half-timbered construction. It creates a scene that reminds you of a fairy tale. Here, in the oldest part of the city, the present is at peace with the past. Each home or business stands upon the footprint of the countless generations that lived there before.

Starting point is 00:12:17 You stop briefly to enjoy the view from a pedestrian bridge. the view from a pedestrian bridge. Underneath it, a river runs quickly and quietly away into the night. The sky is cloudy at the moment. However, the moon peeks out enough that its light sparkles on the water beneath your feet. The silhouettes of many peaked roofs stand out in the night like shadows against the sky. A couple walks past you, laughing quietly and murmuring in low tones. You feel as if you have caught their happy mood and you turn to walk in the same direction. You are all heading for the same place. Even though you are still a couple of blocks away from your destination, away from your destination. You hear a brass quintet playing. Its bright tones are echoing down the stony corridors of the town as you approach. The sound of the music puts a little bounce in your

Starting point is 00:13:38 step, and you pick up your pace, heading confidently in the direction of the main plaza? Even if you hadn't already known where you were headed, you would be able to locate the marketplace. Its golden glow radiates upward and outward into the night sky. You are naturally drawn in by its warm welcome. And then, in a moment, the market is opening up before you. It is such a colorful feast for the eyes that you don't know where to go first. You stop and take in the entire scene, soaking up the atmosphere. The main square is filled with wooden stands constructed in orderly rows. These have matching awnings that are striped red and white like candy canes.

Starting point is 00:14:50 Lights glitter all around. They are within the little hearts. They are dawn cone-shaped trees that saw above the makeshift rooftops. It also glow brilliantly from the windows of the multi-story buildings that create a sheltering border around the entire square. These grand old houses keep watch over the plaza in its current state of festivity. Just as they have watched it in the sunshine and rain, day and night for hundreds of years.

Starting point is 00:15:36 In the middle of the open area, you see a life-size version of a Christmas pyramid. You have seen these traditional wooden pyramids many times already as tabletop decorations. These clever holiday contraptions create a multi-go-round that has a fan installed at the top. On the bottom outer edges, candles are placed. The heat from the lit candles rises, making the windmill turn. The result is that small figurines on each level of the carousel begin circling around and around in a festive holiday dance powered by the rising heat. This life-size pyramid is representative of that classic design. pyramid is representative of that classic design. Of course, there are no real fires turning it around, but it is cheerfully lit with electric candles. This large display is standing

Starting point is 00:17:01 above the roofs of the Christmas booths, a beacon for all, drawing them to the middle of the festival. The grandest feature of the square is the cathedral that borders one side. It has a distinctly gothic appearance. On the face of its central tower, which soars upward into the night sky, there is a mechanical clock.

Starting point is 00:17:35 The face is a lovely blue color, and it's Roman numerals and hands, not gold. You know from forays into town earlier in the day, that the figures on the clock will move at midday, drumming and trumpeting the hour. At the moment, these sentanels pose, obediently awaiting their next performance. On either side of this main tower, elaborate pinnacles graduate downward, creating a triangular shape for the facade of the arched main entry, tall matching windows appear to watch the market with a sleepy benevolence. If the church were a person, it seems like its attitude would be both lofty and detached from the bustle of the crowd in the square.

Starting point is 00:18:49 Despite all the things there are to see here, it is the wonderful mingling of holiday sense that grabs your attention next. There is a unique blend of tantalizing smells from baked goods, and those are mixing with the scent of mould-wine spices. You tilt your head to the side, trying to sort them out. You think perhaps all spice, definitely cinnamon, perhaps nutmeg, and certainly the warmth of sugar, brown sugar you decide. Most noticeably there is also a scent of gingerbread, wafting across the square. Along with it, undeniably, the mouth-watering smell of sausage,

Starting point is 00:19:54 that is ubiquitous in every German town you visited. You inhale deeply and imagine a vice-first, or perhaps a curry-first or a brat-first. You're more interested in sweets while you're here, but maybe you will get some of these local specialities tomorrow. After taking all of this in, you feel ready to roam the square. Winding slowly, ceaselessly through the channels of this scene, the paths are surging to the very slow-moving Friends, couples, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren. They course through the corridors of the marketplace like a life force. With it, they bring high spirits and a promise of good memories.

Starting point is 00:21:04 The only way to start is to join the fun. So you begin walking down one of the little avenues created by the striped Vendor booths. It is not surprising that the very first one you see is selling enormous gingerbread hearts. They come in all different sizes and bear a variety of sweet messages in frosting. I love you, many of them say, but also sweetest mother in the world, or we wish you the best. There are even some gingerbread hearts for people to give to newly married couples in congratulations.

Starting point is 00:21:59 You smile to yourself, imagining how romantic a December wedding would be here. Especially, and at this thought, you peer at the sky, if it snowed. As you leave this shop behind, you make a resolution to pick up some chocolate-covered gingerbread cookies later. The next booth is completely fascinating to you. It is filled with little figurines, known as Roichermenna or Smoking Men. But these little figures have nothing to do with tobacco. Rather, they are specially designed so that you can open them up and place a tiny cone-shaped bit of incense inside. Then, when you light it and put them back together,

Starting point is 00:22:59 you ever green scent curls out of their little pipe. and sent curls out of their little pipe. The people who craft these clever little figurines are very creative. They take the form of soldiers, woodsmen, st. Nicholas characters, and even comical little ladies. They're at all thin figures and adorable little round ones. You don't know how you would choose among them. You move on from this sweet display carrying the lovely scent of the incense on your scarf. You've noticed that stars are an important theme for Germans at Christmas, and the next

Starting point is 00:23:48 little shop is absolutely filled with them. They are made from paper and are lit from within, like lanterns. The shopkeeper is delighted to turn one on and off when he sees you marveling at his display. He explains that they are called Moravian stars, and that they have been a tradition in Germany for a couple of centuries. Then, pointing to different examples, he shows how they may have 26 points, but some have even more. It's all about combining squares and triangles, he explains. So, he says with a love, it's good if you remember some geometry. Seeing that you are taken with his creations, he suggests that it is very easy to travel with a paper star if you buy it without the electric parts. To demonstrate, he folds up one of the simple paper ornaments and shows you that it can travel

Starting point is 00:25:11 flat. Delighted to discover this solution, you carefully choose one that makes you happy. After exchanging your money for this new treasure, you tuck it carefully into your bag and close the flap. The kindly man thanks you and wishes you a lovely holiday. Wondering on, you encounter a vendor who is selling pretty beeswax candles and soaps. They look almost too beautiful to use. The candles come in a rainbow of colours.

Starting point is 00:25:56 Some are elegant. They are joined together by a single wick and draped over a peg. Somebody who is hosting a dinner party will probably buy them. You imagine how they will end up as part of an elegant table some night soon, standing upright in sparkling crystal candlesticks. As nice as these are, you prefer the homea more retund candles. Some of them are etched with the pattern of a honeycomb on the outside, as if to illustrate their natural origins. The soaps are nice as well. A handful are in thick bars, and others are in the shapes of the holiday season, such

Starting point is 00:26:55 as stars or little evergreen trees. They are as delicate as candy. But if the soaps looked good enough to eat, they still can't compete with the actual edible treats next door. A chocolate here sits behind a table that is lavishly laid with exquisite bombons, foil-wrapped chocolate coins, and jolly marzipan Christmas figures. You imagine the old-fashioned St. Nicholas peaking out of the top of a child's stocking

Starting point is 00:27:39 on Christmas morning. The gold coins entice you to pick them up. You lift them, feeling how they weigh heavily in their little net bags. They are a pretty treasure, waiting to be discovered by a happy child. For the grown-up chocolate lovers, there are boxes of mixed bonbons that take your breath away. You know, there is a paper inside, spilling the secrets about what is at the center of each unique little truffle. However, you prefer to be surprised. You imagine opening up the box and slowly discovering the contents by trial and error. This idea is so delightful that you buy one for yourself to enjoy later.

Starting point is 00:28:45 You tuck this inside your bag next to the Moravian Star. You pause for a moment in the middle of the aisle, realizing that the music around you has changed. The stately brass quintet has given way to a children's choir. The tone of the market almost seems to slow down as the revelers pause in their tracks to listen. As clear as a bell, the little voices on the risers nearby are singing still an act, which you know well by his English version of Silent Night. Soaring to impossible heights across the awnings of the market, the song brings a reverently optimistic feeling to you. And you think to everyone there.

Starting point is 00:29:53 When the song finishes, the hubbub resumes, but you feel like each person you pass is smiling. mass is smiling. As the choir begins a more upbeat song, you walk to another of the candy striped outdoor booths. The children's voices are the perfect backdrop for it, because this merchant is selling angels. Oh, you think. And how very many beautiful angels there are to see. You bend over slightly to more carefully examine those that are made of wax and velvet. You cannot imagine how the artisans create these tiny masterpieces. The delicate and detailed wax figures you see here are a speciality of the region. Like Renaissance figures caught in flight, they are frozen in motion.

Starting point is 00:31:02 There is a tall one that folds its hands in prayer. Its face turned upward to the heavens. Smaller ones, are wearing dresses reminiscent of the colours in a botter-chelly painting. Each garment is in itself a treasure, a miniature of a real dress with all its details. You lean in a little closer to marvel at how their faces display a mood. Prayerful, indifferent or even mischievous. They are more than just decorations. These creations are definitely art. Whether they are playing a loot or holding up a lantern. These tiny messengers of the holiday seem to be trying to demonstrate that art and knowledge are heavenly pursuits. You step back and feel oddly compelled to give the angels a nod of farewell. As you're looking around to decide on your next destination,

Starting point is 00:32:29 you see a father walk by with two small children. You hear him telling them that they will go visit the children's market now. Looking up the direction in which he's heading, you realize there is a flow of people moving down the street to another plaza. You decide that you would like to see what is there, and then turn and head in that direction yourself. The gain you are swept gently along with the current of merry-makers. Above your head, garlands of greenery and white lights stretch from one side of the narrow

Starting point is 00:33:17 street to the other. Lamb posts are festooned with beautiful wreaths. The walk is not a long one. Within minutes, a smaller version of the main plaza is opening up before you. There are a number of booths arranged here in an orderly manner. All bearing the same candy cane striped awnings as their counterparts down the street. Square is humming with activity, but it has an even more whimsical feel to it because it is chock full of children. You stand and look around, getting your bearings. Numerous tents appear to be inviting the youngest revelers to join in with fun activities.

Starting point is 00:34:19 You hear carousel music and realize that there is a merry-go-round nearby. It is not very large, which makes it perfect for the littlest holiday makers to enjoy. Parents stand to the side of it, holding babies and waving while older siblings circle on colourful horses, grinning ear to ear. The similarly scaled down Ferris wheel stands in another part of the square. Accessible for younger riders, it seems to be taking them to only a modest height. A small line of excited children queues up before it. Parents are holding their hands and young ones bounce up and down in anticipation.

Starting point is 00:35:16 At the center of the square, you can see a dais that you recognize as a place for Santa. Or, in this case, St. Nicholas. Sure enough, in the center, there is a man dressed in a traditional red suit wearing a beard. He is seated on a grand-looking chair, where he receives a slow stream of visitors. You walk over and observe, as a little girl timidly approaches the big chair and speaks with the man himself. They have a quiet conversation, and then she receives a small package from him. Opening the box, she expresses amazement, pulling out a toy that is very popular this year. It seems like it was just what she had requested.

Starting point is 00:36:23 she had requested. Next to you, smiling triumphantly, the proud mother of the little girl leans over as if to share a secret. She tells you that parents can make an appointment and have a package delivered in advance, so that St. Nicholas will give the child the gift they had been asking for. Who are quite taken with the brilliance of this plan and extremely impressed with the organization that must be behind it? What a thrill for these children, you think. They will certainly never forget their visit to St Nicholas at the children's market.

Starting point is 00:37:09 It seems that children who do not yet have appointments with St Nicholas can still get in on the fun. Across the square you notice a stand that is set up as a post office. A couple of children are writing at the counter, and another appears to be selecting a postcard. Walking closer, you hear the attendant who is dressed in festive holiday garb, telling the children to let St. Nicholas know what their Christmas wishes are. Each child is taking their time, thinking hard and trying to write neatly. When the card is complete, they walk over to a yellow post box and drop it in. Their postcard to St. Nicholas is on its way. They don't even need a stamp. Your eyes follow a boy who has just deposited his wish list in that yellow box.

Starting point is 00:38:17 He skips joyfully back to a waiting adult who pats him on the back and leans down to ask him something. In response, he points a mittened hand at something you had not noticed. There is a miniature steam train waiting a short distance away. He wants to go for a ride. The steam train is adorably small and it goes in a tight circle next to the merry-go-round. As the little boy gets in the back of the short line, a handful of other children who have already boarded the train slowly chug forward. Despite its slow speed, they are uttering small cries of delight. A choo-choo sound echoes from a nearby sound system making the experience feel real. After a few minutes, they disembark and fly into the arms of waiting grown-ups,

Starting point is 00:39:26 babbling with delight. You take a turn around the plaza yourself and see that there is even more to do. A bakery has been set up in a booth around the edge of the square. Inside, children are invited to decorate unbaked gingerbread cookies. A mess of icing and sprinkles is not just tolerated, it is obviously expected. Many a delightful chaotic cookie goes into the small portable oven and comes out warm a few minutes later. Some of the tiny bakers seem to want to keep their masterpieces as a gift for a loved one, while others do not hesitate to eat their treasures on the spot. Seize the day, you think to yourself.

Starting point is 00:40:27 It's a good motto. No less creative, but far less edible are the candles of all colors and sizes being made at another nearby station. You chuckle to yourself noting that, unlike the wares of the beeswax dealer, these would certainly not be suited for retail. They are an exuberant display of artistry, sometimes melding all the colours, and they rarely appear to take a regular shape. But, fun is in the air, and you can tell that these children are extremely proud of their creations. As they display the finished products to their waiting shepherds, the delight is plain on their faces.

Starting point is 00:41:28 For those who wish to make a more sentimental craft, the candle-making station also provides wax molds where children can make an impression of their hand. Several of the little artisans find this to be a very satisfying activity. They chortle with happiness to see their imprint solidify. It is a record of a fleeting moment and a special day. You are distracted by a jolly hubbub over by the carousel. There is a young woman there wearing spectacularly tall, golden crown. Beneath this amazing headpiece, long curls cascade over the shoulders of her richly decorated, white and gold gown.

Starting point is 00:42:28 She is leaning over, speaking with a group of children who are eagerly hanging on her every word. They whoop with excitement as she ushers them onto the merry-go-round, obviously offering free rides. A waiting parent notices you watching, perhaps sensing your curiosity, leans over to explain. This character is the famous Christkind, they tell you. She is elected every two years to the position and has many civic duties, but the Christmas market is her most important one. Traditionally, she offers free carousel rides to the children periodically during the market days.

Starting point is 00:43:23 children periodically during the market days. What a lovely idea, you think. To have the values of the fair personified this way. Giving away free carousel rides seems like a wonderful way to spread the generous spirits of the holidays. Having explored the children's market, you decide you'd like to return to the main plaza. As you are retracing your steps, you pass a waffle stand that sits at the edge of the children's square. Impulsively, you get in line behind a little girl and her mother.

Starting point is 00:44:10 The shopkeeper is handing them an airy Belgian waffle, dusted with snowy powdered sugar. You request the same. In a moment, you are walking away from the waffle stand with your delicious treat warming your hand. You nibble on it, savoring its intense sweetness as you walk back down the cobblestone street that led you here a little while ago. When you return to the main square, it seems to be at its peak of merriment. The brass quintet is back on the makeshift stage, creating a happy mood. The mould-wine hut is doing a booming business. Patrons stand around at tall tables, drinking out of crockery mugs.

Starting point is 00:45:10 Assign there declares that you can return the mugs for a deposit or keep them as souvenirs. You think how appropriate this old-fashioned serving method is. Paper caps just wouldn't be as genuine. The head-eat scent of the spices wathed over you as you walk past, and you inhale appreciatively. It's pure holiday magic. You stop at a shop you haven't yet visited. It is filled with tabletop trees, hoarding every imaginable type of wooden ornament. Soldiers, angels, stars, trumpets, the list goes on and on. You marvel at the extremely delicate wood carvings that feature a baby inside a walnut shell. The artistry is incredible.

Starting point is 00:46:19 You cannot imagine how they do it. The tiny walnut ornaments are irresistible. You gently remove one from where it hangs and buy it. The shopkeeper nestles it inside a minuscule box with a foil label and hands it to you. This you tuck carefully inside your bag with your other holiday treasures. You step away from the ornament vendor and feel a few cold tingles on your face. Looking up, you realize it has begun to snow. Above the glowing lights of the plaza, you can see flakes drifting through the darkness.

Starting point is 00:47:13 Time seems to slow down, and the bustle of the market fades into the background. The snowflakes fill the air in front of the cathedral, delicately descending over the market patrons, the mold-wine drinkers, the band, and the candy-striped awnings. You almost laugh with joy at this perfect moment. You are making a memory that will always stay with you. Like water moving, there is a ripple in the crowd. Visitors step aside to let someone pass. Standing on your toes, you see that some school-aged children are taking a lantern parade through the plaza.

Starting point is 00:48:10 A teacher leads them up, and there is a boy at the end of the line exuberantly playing a drum. Most of the lanterns are globes or stars that are hanging from long sticks. The children hold these high, swinging their luminous treasures, lightly back and forth. There are also some more elaborate figurines of angels and snowmen. These are being dragged on large wagons by the bigger children and a few helpful adults. The crowd, claps and cheers appreciatively. This light in the darkness epitomizes the meaning of the Christmas market, and everyone feels that keenly.

Starting point is 00:49:10 As the lantern parade passes by, you pull your scarf up around your nose and warm your face with an exhale. Your fingers and toes are beginning to tingle and you realize that you are reaching the end of your energy for the evening. As if on cue, the brass quintet downshifts to a quieter and more reflective tune. You begin to work your way back to the edge of the market where you first arrived. You want to be sure to pick up the chocolate gingerbread you promised yourself. Then as you go, you can't resist making one more stop. A vendor along the way has a generous array of wooden nut crackers on display. You see that these contraptions have seemingly infinite variations. Although most of them are identifiable as soldiers, they appear in a wide variety of sizes.

Starting point is 00:50:29 From large to small and narrow to wide, there seems to be one for any type of spot you may have on your mantle. Further, you can get a nutcracker in any imaginable colour. Their uniforms are blue, green, black, red, some look almost like kings, and others like animals simply dressed as soldiers. You lean over and scan each row of figurines, entertained at the thought of their imaginary personalities and unique details. The people who make these have wonderful imaginations. No two nutcrackers appear alike. Having seen every soldier, you straighten up and slowly drift away. The hour is growing late, and you think longingly of your cozy hotel and your warm bed.

Starting point is 00:51:42 You slowly make your way out the side of the market square. Although it's night time, the narrow streets of the old town are still fairly busy with activity, so you feel surrounded by friendly revelers as you walk. Once again, your feet move across the cobblestones, and the fairy tale houses of the old city cradle you in their embrace as you go. But this time, your walk feels even more like a bedtime story, because the snow is falling more thickly now. The enormous white flakes land on your scarf and the sleeves of your coat. They cling briefly to your eyelashes. They're

Starting point is 00:52:37 only a moment before you brush them away. As the hubbub of the marketplace fades behind you, your steps take you briefly into a secret winter wonderland that feels like it's all for you. The hotel is quiet when you return. You're not a greeting to the owner who reclines in his chair behind the front desk, sipping a cup of something warm. He asks you if you enjoyed the market, and you tell him you had a wonderful time. He nods proudly. Everyone who lives here is quite sure it's the finest Christmas market in the world. You're inclined to agree. Your room welcomes you back like a hug.

Starting point is 00:53:39 Setting your bag and your outerwear aside, you are happy to get into your soft pajamas. In a few minutes, you are pulling back the enormous fat-ided-own, nestling into your soft bed. Outside the small window, you can see snowflakes drifting by, more window, you can see snowflakes drifting by, licked from behind by the glowing street lamp. They are coming down quite steadily now. You exhale with a deeply contented sigh and turn over to your most comfortable position on your pillow. There will be a winter wonderland to enjoy tomorrow. You are so very drowsy. As you close your eyes,

Starting point is 00:54:42 you see little stars in your mind that become lanterns. You see a thousand white nights, twinkling on the canvas of darkness before you. And then you happily drift off to sleep. you ... you you you you ... you you you ... you I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:59:36 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. ... you ... I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room.

Starting point is 01:00:52 I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. you ... you ... you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - An Evening at a German Christmas Market

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