“The best things come in the night when Santa Claus comes.” As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, Christmas time is the most wonderful time of the year. On the night of December 5-6, the most beloved figure of the festive season brings gifts and sweets to all those who have been good. Many follow the tradition of putting their boots or shoes outside the door to discover St. Nicholas’ little gifts. But St. Nicholas doesn’t just come in the quiet night when we are all asleep, he also comes during the day. To make sure you don’t miss the magical meeting with St. Nicholas and Krampus in Munich, we have put together the locations and times for you!
Christmas market at Marienplatz
On both December 5 and 6, you can meet St. Nicholas at the city’s most popular Christmas market – the Christkindlmarkt. He will give his traditional St. Nicholas speech on the balcony of the town hall as part of the daily music program. The festivities on Tuesday will be accompanied by the brass corps of the Munich Hunters’ Association, the Perlacher Dreigesang and the Harmonie Olching choral society, while on Wednesday the Miesbach brass band, the Sailer Dreigesang and the Erlkamer Stubnmusi will create a festive atmosphere.
Hellabrunn Zoo
On December 6, between 1 and 5 pm, you have the opportunity to meet Santa Claus at Munich’s Hellabrunn Zoo. Here, too, he will be on his way with a cart full of sweets and accompanied by animals, including a Shetland pony and a llama. Not only can the little ones greet Santa Claus in person, they can also stroke the animals and get up close to them.
Christmas market at the Chinese Tower
St. Nicholas can be found in the English Garden every Advent weekend from 11:30 to 19:00. On 5 and 6 December, he has prepared some lovely stories for you in the cozy Geschichtenstadl, as well as a handful of sweets.
Neuhausen Christmas market
You can also meet St. Nicholas at the Christmas market on Rotkreuzplatz at 4:30 pm. You can also look forward to an exciting Santa Claus search game and an impressive stilt theater. A great afternoon for the whole family, filled with magical moments and a festive atmosphere.
Krampus run in the city center
Not only St. Nicholas, but also Krampus will pay you a visit. On December 10, you can experience the Krampus run from 3 to 5 pm, as well as on December 17 at 4 pm at the Christmas market on Marienplatz. Creepily disguised figures parade through the center of Munich and give passers-by a little fright. The 1st Munich Krampus group, the “Sparifankerl-Pass”, has been cultivating this tradition since 2004. They emphasize that the Krampus is not a punisher, but a jolly devil.
As many children are still afraid of the Krampus, there will be an open workshop on December 9 in the Old Town Hall under the motto “No fear of the Krampus” from 12 noon to 4 pm. Here, children can learn more about Krampus and take part in an exciting craft activity.