In 2006 I took my first Christmas markets trip along the Danube from Nuremberg, Germany to Vienna, Austria. That began a long-lasting love affair. I go into withdrawal if I don't go the markets every couple of years. Really!

Last month, I grabbed a friend for a 4-day whirlwind Christmas Market extravaganza in Münich, Stuttgart and Nuremberg, Germany (my all-time favorite market) and Innsbrück, Austria. I was even lucky enough to connect with my brother for a day in Stuttgart.

The Christmas season in Bavaria is magic to me. Maybe I see it with rose-colored glasses, but it's so traditional. Church bells, organ and choir concerts. Socialization and family are key. The food! Oh, the food, especially the sausages. Freshly cut trees and evergreens. Glühwein, that marvelous spiced wine elixir flows and keeps the chill at bay.

Come to the markets with me in 2015? I'd love to show them to you. I even speak a little German. ;)