Frankfurt Feelz: The Season to Seize the Day!
GERMANY
What is it about an outdoor Christmas market that seems to have mass appeal? People bundle up their bodies and babies to brave the elements, knowing that there’ll be tantalizing treats, trinkets and toys that tell of the shop seller’s story and skills – not to mention my personal fav, time to be grateful for the graceful dance of steam oozing from a hot drink against the backdrop of a sparkling sky.
Tis the time to connect over chitter chatter with just about everyone and anyone, it really doesn’t matter cause the experience favours us being in it together.
I brushed aside the jetlag and hit the cobblestone streets in search of the Frankfurt feelz and it’s well known holiday market. Fashion statements were being made with wooly wears, Hallmark Christmas movie combos and fashion forward fleece that seemed convincing of their warming powers. Most heartwarming to see was lovers of all ages and stages cuddling into each other, wide eyed with wonder as they weaved and wandered from stall to stall. Past pairs had locked their stories and sentiments onto the rails of the nearby bridge, punctuating the skyline with colourful commentary on many untold documentaries.
I marveled at the many offerings. From picture perfect fruits and veggies, baked and fried goods that would no doubt leave their mark, to the spectrum of souvenirs, from gaudy and season-sensitive to creative and chic, there seemed to be something for all. The marking of seasons and special moments often leaves me a bit nostalgic.
What I love is time slowing, people prioritizing famjams and festivals, the living of tradition that upholds the past, making it relevant and soothing in the present.
I stood and savoured my schnitzel and ‘famous green sauce’ paired, sipping on sparkling water from an elegant wine glass. I watched the holiday cheer take the form of friends hugging, discarding scarfs and layers to begin unraveling their lives with these loved ones.
I heard the clinking of glasses toasting to tomorrows we all await with a tenderness that is most marinated at this time of year.
In the background, beautiful boys broke out in a random baritone carol, unable to wait to schedule their serenade.
The snowflakes fell like an immersive handmade origami show, melting the moment it met me, reminding me of the Divine artist whose work I often take for granted, even though this canvas is what I live, work and swim in.
Stop overs let us dunk into a day where it’s easier to be present, knowing that time is limited.
I suppose too, if my spirit is on the spectrum of something similar to this, I hope I can meet each day with this traveler’s mindset – ready to experience the sites as they unfold with acceptance and awe, knowing that soon enough it’ll be time to travel on …
May the season bring unity, serenity and levity,