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The atmosphere is relaxing and welcoming – the sweet aroma of various German pastries and the typical mulled wine with spices spreads all around; twinkling lights illuminate the array of tempting gifts and handmade items with a Christmas glow; music warms the soul, and the Christmas tree in the centre of this year’s Weinachtsmarkt in Sofia invites visitors with its splendour and festivity.
Carried away in pleasant conversations, the two Spanish girls soon find themselves in the cheerful company of Ángel and Andrea. Father and daughter, both are visiting Sofia for the first time. When they hear their native speech amid the buzzing noise, Andrea and Angel quickly join Irene and Beatriz to get to know them and spend their first Christmas market in Bulgaria with compatriots.
"The German Christmas market in Sofia helped us find each other and get closer," the two girls say with a smile, and Andrea and Angel add in unison: "This is it, the real Christmas spirit!".
What’s different between the Christmas markets in Sofia and Madrid and what is the first impression of Spanish tourists from the capital of Bulgaria?
"People in Bulgaria can be more cheerful and smiling, more carefree and less serious, and the Christmas market is fully capable of achieving this goal," the girls say.
Jochen Bremme is organizing the German Christmas Bazaar in Sofia for the 12th time in a row. It was originally launched as an initiative to fill the void in the heart of the foreigner who left his homeland. The preparation of the Weinachtsmarkt brings together the entire German-speaking community of the city from the very beginning. "We wanted to create a pre-Christmas atmosphere," says Bremme.
Christmas markets are a typically German tradition. However, does this tradition succeed in uniting people in Sofia or does it rather divide them?
"Yes, this is a German tradition that is more than 500 years old. It has strong roots and I hope it will establish itself in Bulgaria as well. Many Bulgarians come here and they like it because the tradition is charming and creates coziness," Bremme says.
Are Bulgarians or Germans more regular visitors to the German Christmas market in Sofia?
"There are Bulgarians as well as Germans - it's mixed. You notice a lot of German students; they enjoy the vibe because it reminds them of their homeland. Of course, many tourists also come. Even when they are planning their trip, they ask if there is a Christmas market there. Some come especially for the event.”
Christmas traditions in Bulgaria and in Germany differ, but Johan Bremme and his family (his wife is Bulgarian) try to bring them closer.
"I decorate the Christmas tree on December 24 in the morning with a beer in hand, but in the evening we celebrate in the Bulgarian way with an odd number of meatless dishes. At Christmas, German dishes are necessarily served - a goose is roasted, and at the very end of the holidays, we do the survakane, this old Bulgarian custom, which is one of my favorite."
The German Christmas market will remain open until December 22 at its usual location - Prince Alexander I Battenberg Square. What does Jochen Bremme wish to his compatriots in Bulgaria and to all people in the world?
"I wish them peace, of course also health, but above all peace - the most important thing is to live peacefully and calmly, what is happening in the world scares me..."
Video and photos: Stanislava Gaydazhieva
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