Christmas markets, decorated houses and the smell of Glühwein and Christmas cookies around every corner – it must be December in Stuttgart! 🙂 I just loooove the season and when I have a look at all the fun events that are going on this December in Stuttgart, I am more than sure that you will fall in love with it, too. Here come my favorite events for non-German-speakers this month:

• The Christmas Market in Stuttgart is open until December 23. Have you ever noticed that the town hall turns into a huge Advent Calender every December? Each day, a window will be opened, showing one of the coat of arms of the districts of Stuttgart. Along with this a choir representing this quarter will perform for free on the steps in front of the entrance.
• There are SO MANY Christmas markets in the  Stuttgart region that I have decided to introduce my favorite ones in a separate post.
• Get away from the usual hustle around Christmas and dive into the enchanted Christmas Garden at Wilhelma until January 6. Beautiful light installations await you, embedded in the fairytale setting of the botanical garden. To find out more about Christmas Garden, check out my post A visit at Christmas Garden in Stuttgart.
• Shop for very special presents like hand-made jewellery, designer lamps and more at the design fair Schöne Bescherung at Phoenixhalle on November 30 and December 1.
• After Stadtpalais brought the sea to Stuttgart this summer with “Stuttgart am Meer” and helped us fight the heat with the huge outdoor pool the creative minds of the museum have another fun attraction going on this winter: Stuttgart im Schnee/Stuttgart covered in snow is another urban installation with special events and a slope for sleds that will be open until February 29.
• You like to dance and you like cake? Then the social dance event Swing ‘n’ Cake is your thing! You can dance the night away on December 1 and 15 at Weltcafé.
• How about a fun pre-Christmas train ride in a historical U-Bahn while enjoying a glass of Glühwein and some Lebkuchen? Sounds good? Then you should catch the Glühweinexpress on December 1, 15, 21, 22, 26!
• Mamas: Have you ever attended a classical concert with your little one(s)? Probably not. But here comes your chance: At Babykonzert on December 1 everybody is welcome, especially the smallest of listeners.
• Learn more about the North Korea from someone who has been there at the reading Undercover in North Korea on December 2 at Hospitalhof.
• The NEW English American Theater will present It’s a wonderful life – a story of the idealistic George Bailey who considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve – on December 2 at Kulturcafe Merlin and on December 5, 11 and 21 at Theater am Olgaeck.
• Listen to Christmas poems and watch a classic American Christmas movie on December 3 at DAZ.
• Are you feeling like Aperitivo Italiano? Then visit Oh Julia! on December 4!
• This is something for all expecting and new mothers: Meet other moms on December 5 at Karl’s Kitchen at Bumps and Babies Coffee Social.
• On December 5 the spectacular Weltweihnachtszirkus (World Christmas Circus) will open it’s gates again. Even though the show will be in German, you will definitely enjoy the acts even if you don’t speak the language.
• There is a language exchange going on every Thursday at Samay: on December 5, 12 and 19.
• If the super sweet mulled wine at the Christmas markets is not your thing, try Glühweinparty at Wein-Moment on December 6!
• Have you ever tried Raclette? This Swiss dish is a must for cheese-lovers. Picture melted cheese with soft potatoes, mini corn and more… Yuuuuummmmm! Then you should book at table at Café Justus for Raclette Night on December 6, 13 and 20!
• Visit the amazing Chocolate festival in Tübingen and make new friends along the way. Stuttgart Expat Meetups organizes a fun trip to chololART on December 7!
• Watch a British Panto production, performed by the New English American Theater, at Kulturwerk on December 7 and 8: Mother Goose and the Golden Egg 
• TEDWomen is the female version of the famous TED talks. You can follow the conference on December 11 at Cinemaxx.
• More chocolate: The International Student Organization Hohenheim organizes a Ritter Sport Factory Tour on December 12.
• Polarized America: What still unites the US is the title of a discussion that will take place on December 12. Representatives the Democrats Abroad and Republicans Overseas will meet at the DAZ to take a stand on those significant issues.
• Learn how to create an art journal cover, calendar cover, book cover, or bookmarks on December 14 at the DoodleArt workshop at Rudolfs Cafe.
• Shop for creative Christmas gifts at KunstKaufHaus on December 14 and 15 at Wagenhallen. More than 100 artists, start-ups and small labels will be present.
• On December 16 Theater Rampe invites everybody who lives in Stuttgart but doesn’t speak much German to join the language café/Sprachcafé Feierabend, Habibi.
• Be part of an old Russian Christmas tradition on December 19 and 20 at Theater am Faden: Wertep was performed a lot in the 18th century in Russia, Belarus, Poland and Ukraine. A Wertep theater is located in a portable wooden box that holds two mini stages. The story of the three Magi is performed on the upper stage, the story of King Herod on the lower stage with miniature figures. Sounds like a lovely Christmas tradition!
• Visiting this design fair is a tradition with many locals: Holy Shit Shopping is THE place where you can find your last-minute Christmas presents that don’t look like such. Phoenixhalle, December 21 and 22.

  

• Don’t forget that we celebrate Christmas on the 24th here in Germany 🙂 Merry Christmas and Fröhliche Weihnachten everybody!
• As there are many events going on in Stuttgart on New Years Eve I will put them into a separate blog post soon. Stay tuned! 🙂