Celebrating Advent at the Outdoor Museum - Advent im Freilichtmuseum

Every year on the third Sunday of Advent, we take the children for a visit to our favorite Outdoor Museum which was designed to help visitors understand the present time while experiencing a journey into the past and thereby enabling us to compare the present time with bygone times. The Museum focuses on documenting country life as it used to be. 

There are a number of buildings such as residential buildings, farmyards, a blacksmith`s workshop and a bakery - they all have been re-erected in the Museum and most of them were re-constructed in their original condition after being moved.

While walking around the Museum grounds, you will also encounter the animals which formerly characterized the images of the village.

Throughout the year, you can witness traditional work which changes on a daily basis, such as preparation of country meals on an antique stove, baking bread in the bakery, forging nails at the blacksmith`s shop - or you will encounter the country postman wearing an imperial uniform and, in summer, farmers with a yoke of oxen.

But once a year, on the third Sunday of Advent, there is a seasonal "Advent Market" (Adventsmarkt) which is absolutely delightful.

Among the gifts with a rather unique and "rustic appeal", you can buy some wonderful wooden mushrooms (cut with a chainsaw) - I bought a big one and placed it in front of our house today.

 All the half-timbered houses were decorated with fir-branches...

...and the paths leading up to some of the houses were lined with wonderful decorations.

 They were cute little wooden bird houses...

...and hand-crafted jewelry (which the girls adored).

My favorite window of a gift shop...

 ...and, of course, I could not pass up the opportunity to bake some colorful and delicious Cassis-Vanilla-Butter Cookies and bring them along for snacking (and some photo taking).

This is the outside of the beautiful light blue old ropeyard...

...with an old wooden sign bearing the name of the rope maker.

 You could buy wooden Christmas decorations inside the old workshop...

 ...and look at the raw material that the ropemaker works with...

...just take a look at the amazing ropes that he made...

...more ropes and knots. You could buy all kinds of different ropes by the meter. 

More seasonal decorations...

...and a cute angel peeking out of the window of the ropery.

 In an adjacent building, I found these three fantastic Wise Men (crafted out of metal).

Then we went to take a look at the blacksmith´s admirable works of art...

...you could watch him forge many different thigs such as candle holders and nails...

...just take a look at the antique equipment that he still uses.

A woodcarver/woodworker sold angels and Christmas trees.

The last building we visited was an old farmhouse (my personal favorite). I adored the vintage photograph of the former inhabitants that was on display in the entrance...

...more lovely red candles that looked wonderful in the collectable plates that were placed on top of the old iron kitchen stove.

There was a display of an old doll´s house (as an example of the kinds of gifts that children used to received)...

...and a vintage wooden puzzle...

 ...and hand-crafted Christmas decorations (making good use of those walnut shells)...

...and an intriguing display of the natural products that people used for brewing "substitute coffee", such as "coffee" made from peas, acorns or chicory.

There were vintage books...

 ...and a lovely water carafe for the morning.

What a sparingly yet wonderful simple bedroom with a wooden bed, linen bed clothes and nightgowns...

...and yet another bedroom decorated in the same delightful way...

 ...with white walls and some more hints of the former inhabitants faith.

Some wonderful vintage glass containers were on display in one of the bedrooms.

Even Saint Nicholas made an appearance (wearing a miter and a crozier) and he brought some fruits, nuts and apples for the children.

What a wonderful way to spend the third Sunday of Advent with the children at this fantastic Outdoor Folk Museum. We will certainly visit again soon.

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