And there’s no better way to celebrate Christmas than a weekend enjoying the market’s sites, sounds, smells and tastes!

Christmas Markets originated in Germany back in the 14th century, although the Vienna “December market” started in 1294 and was a kind of Christmas market. Originally, the fairs provided only food and supplies for the cold winter season, but they soon became a holiday tradition. Starting on Advent end of November and continuing until noon on Christmas Eve, they are also called Christkindlmarkt (meaning “Christ child market) or Weihnachtsmarkt.

Villages, towns and cities across Germany come to life for the four weeks of festivities…each with their own traditions and flair. Stroll through the decorated markets and stalls brimming with delicious local food like Lebkuchen (gingerbread), Stollen (traditional German Christmas bread) and Bratwurst; warm local beverages like Glühwein (hot mulled wine) and Eierpunsch (egg-nog like); and amazing gifts like handmade books, toys, ornaments and much more.

Nuremberg and Dresden markets are the oldest and draw about two million people each year. Dresden’s market was first held in 1434 and now has over 60 stalls. Nuremberg’s first official records date to 1628 and now has over 200 stalls. You’ll even find 50 markets across Berlin.

There are Christmas Markets across Europe but Germany’s are my favorite! Find a full list here.

This week I’ll share my Must GO list with photos to get you in the spirit: Hamburg…the best Christmas Market; More Christkindlmarkt Highlights; Glühwein, my favorite Christmas Market Tradition.

As we enjoy our last evening of the Thanksgiving weekend, I thought I’d share a great article a friend posted on Facebook today from Wednesday’s The Wall Street Journal Online.

Thank You. No, Thank You.

It talks about how a growing body of research supports that having “an attitude of gratitude can improve psychological, emotional and physical well-being. Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not. They’re also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy or alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly and have greater resistance to viral infections. And now, researchers are finding that gratitude brings similar benefits in children and adolescents.”

“The research is part of the ‘positive psychology’ movement, which focuses on developing strengths rather than alleviating disorders. … Can people learn to look on the bright side, want what they have and be grateful for it? Experts believe that about 50% of such temperament is genetic, but the rest comes from experience.

A couple of suggestions to cultivate gratitude…

• Keep a journal and regularly record whatever you are grateful for that day. Be specific.

• A Buddhist exercise, called Naikan self-reflection, asks people to ponder daily: “What have I received from…? What have I given to…? and What trouble have I caused…?” Acknowledging those who touched your life—from the barista who made your coffee to the engineer who drove your train—and reflecting on how you reciprocated reinforces humbleness and interdependence.”

As we get back to our routines tomorrow and into the busy month of December, try cultivating gratitude in the final month of year and see how it can help YOU.

Yesterday in my favorite yoga class (Yoga Fusion at Pure Prana Yoga Studio), our teacher Natascha spoke about giving thanks this week as part of Thanksgiving festivities. She said there’s no better way to be thankful and give thanks than to be present in the moment.

In our busy chaotic over scheduled multi-tasking lives, most of the time we are somewhere else rather than in the moment.

On this Thanksgiving, give yourself the gift of being present…don’t think about yesterday’s problems or tomorrow’s to do list…be in the moment… and be grateful for the wonderful day you’re having full of family, friends, food, wine and abundance. Truly enjoy every minute of it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Two new tastes I discovered at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival‘s 15th Anniversary … Ireland’s Bunratty Meade Honey Wine and Morocco’s Amazigh Red Wine.

Ireland’s Bunratty Meade Honey Wine

A legendary drink from Ireland, it has a long history and was so influential that the banquet halls of Tara, where the High Kings of Ireland ruled, were named the House of Mead Circling. No medieval banquet was complete without it.

Bunratty Winery sits in the shadow of the famous 15th century Bunratty Castle in the historical county of Clare, Ireland. In ancient times it became custom for the bride and groom to drink honey Meade for one full moon after their wedding, hence the term “Honeymoon” still used today.

Made from white wine with honey and herbs its served chilled and/or over ice. I enjoyed as an aperitif over a little ice as we strolled through Ireland and England. Quite nice!

Morocco’s Amazigh Red Wine

I’ve never had wine from Morocco or knew they were producing it. In 1998, the Zniber family created the first controlled appellation of origin in Morocco in the Guerrouane region. Its a blend of Carignan, Cinsault and Alicante-Bouchet grapes and the winemaking ties to France.

Amazigh is dark red in color yet light in body. It’s described as ‘a soft full bodied red with jammy black currant fruit.” I definitely got a lot of red berry flavors from the wine.  It was a really nice surprise and surely goes well with the great food of Morocco!

Try them out and let me know what you think. Cheers to new discoveries!

An ‘around Europe’ sampling of sparkling wines, my favorites, was a great opportunity at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. With the start of the holiday season this week, its the perfect time to share more about bubbles and some to try during the upcoming festivities.

Let’s start with a little about how sparkling wine is made. As yeast ferments the sugar in grape juice to produce alcohol and wine, it produces carbon dioxide gas as the by-product. To make sparkling wines, the winemaker puts the wine through a second fermentation, adding sugar and yeast to the wine to create carbon dioxide bubbles (either in the bottle which is the Traditional/ Champagne method and most expensive OR the Charmat method in stainless steel fermentation tanks).

* France’s Champagne

• First stop is the best known sparkling wine… Champagne. According to legend, Dom Pérignon, the Benedictine monk and cellar-master of the Abbey of Hautvillers, is the father of champagne. Champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France (only 45 minutes via fast train from Paris). The region, the most northern and coolest vineyards in France, is perfect for the grapes that are used in Champagne … Red Pinot Noir, Red Pinot Meunier or Chardonnay. The famous Champagne ‘houses’ buy most of the grapes from the growers in the region and each house has its own style of producing Champagne (like Blanc de Blanc means white from whites only using Chardonnay grapes).

• Möet & Chandon is the most popular producer/house (they also produces Dom Perignon…created only on years that the harvest is precisely suitable and aged 7 years before released) and were featured at the Festival. They were serving up their 4 champagnes: White Star Impérial (their flagship), Rosé Impérial (the Glamoruous Champagne), Nectar Impérial (the Daring Champagne) and Nectar Impérial Rosé (the Extravagant Champagne). Each stop had great signage describing and mapping your tasting.

• I enjoyed had a glass of their flagship White Star Impérial. It represents all of Champagne’s nuances as its made of Chardonnay to give it freshness, elegance and citrus; Pinot Meunier to give it white fresh fruit flavor and roundness; and Pinot Noir to give it structure and spiciness. Its a lively bright glass for all occasions (but a little drier than I like). Approx retail $35.

* Spain’s Cava

• Next stop on our walk around the world… Spain for Cava. First introduced in 1872, the sparkling wine is produced mainly in the Penedès region in Catalonia, south west of Barcelona. Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and the Montserrat mountains make it ideal for cultivating the Macabeo, Xarello and Parellada grapes (the most common grapes for Cava). Its made using the Traditional Method thus very similar to champagne.

• Giró Ribot, Spain’s pre-eminent producer of Cava, was serving their Cava Paul Cheneau Lady of Spain.  An elegant sparkling Cava with the French influence of styling, aged for 9 months it has green tints, tiny bubbles like champagne with a honey and herbal taste. Approx retail $10.

* Italy’s Prosecco

• Next country Italy for my personal favorite… Prosecco. This dry sparkling wine comes from the Veneto Region of Italy (north of Venice) and the Glera grape. Prosecco is produced in the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene regions which became DOC in 2009. Not to be confused with Asti Spumante, the sweet sparkling wine produced in the Piedmont region of Italy, this is the sparkler also traditionally used inthe Bellini cocktail. Prosecco is produced using the Charmat method making the wine less expensive to produce.

• I sipped a juicy glass of Caposaldo Prosecco…with a nose and taste of citrus, green apple & acacia notes, it has good body and signature medium to larger bubbles of Prosecco. Approx retail $13.

* Germany’s Sekt

• Last stop on the bubbles tour… Sekt in Germany. German production of sparkling wines dates back to 1826 when Georg Christian Kessler founded G. C. Kessler & Co. to produce the wine after previously working for the French Champagne house Veuve Clicquot. Sekt uses Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir Grapes. The majority is produced using the Charmat method.

• In Germany I enjoyed a nice glass of P.J. Valckenberg Madonna Sekt, a fruity sparkling full body wine made in the Rheinhessen region of Germany. Approx retail $11.

Cheers to the bubbles of Europe! May you enjoy many glasses this holiday season!