I first met my German husband at a Christmas Market in Munich, Germany. German Christmas Markets are heavy garlanded wooden places, bready pretzel-smelling places, candle-scintillatingly-lit romantic places, melodically peaceful places; the ultimate Christmas experience. We’ve been wanting to take our three boys to a place that evoked that magical, Christmassy way, with the weight of culture with holiday traditions, but also somewhere quaint within a small walkable town. We had no idea that our last minute, unplanned, road trip would be blessing us the experience of The Best Hallmark Christmas Town in Texas.
Fredericksburg, Texas
Cooking breakfast, my boys playing outside, and watching a Hallmark Christmas movie, I was clueless as to what my own Hallmark experience would entail. Being a mixed Bavarian, German and Texan family since we were already in Austin for a school field trip, we thought we would check out Fredericksburg as a side trip on our way back to Dallas.
Fischer & Wieser Das Peach Haus
We began our touring of Fredericksburg at Das Peach Haus. There are two austere weathered cabins.
The first cabin we visited was the 1870 Koenig Family Log Cabin. Mark Wieser of Fischer & Wieser purchased and has used this log cabin as a permanent roadside fruit stand, retail space, kitchen, and now for special events.
Mr. & Mrs. Claus, Hot Cocoa Bar, and Wine Tasting in an 1870 Log Cabin
As we walked into this historical 1870 log cabin, it honestly felt as if we had passed through a portal straight into a nostalgic Hallmark movie scene. I was not prepared for nor expecting the scene that unfolded before us.
Words cannot do this experience justice for the magical feeling and time spent in this log cabin. It was so warm and beautiful that it took me several minutes to realize someone was trying to talk to me. I think I even had my mouth wide open in shock!
This picture shows some of the sweetness captured via their priceless Texas Log Cabin Santa Pic.
Hot Cocoa Bar Bliss as Mrs. Santa is watching and smiling at them.
I could have stayed in that first log cabin for the whole day. On the other side of the cocoa bar was a wine tasting bar. Wine and cookies, Wunderbar!
Das Peach Haus
Das Peach Haus was the next cabin that we walked into. It’s a Fischer & Wieser retail store and Culinary Adventure Cooking School. We’ve taken several baking classes in Dallas but hands down, this was THE BEST baking class that my boys have EVER taken!!!
At Das Peach Haus, my boys took a baking class with the well-known pastry chef and third-generation family member of La Familia Cortez Restaurants in San Antonio, Angelica Cortez.
Mrs. Cortez’s baking class also included cookie cutters, ingredients for the gingerbread and two different royal icing recipes, a historical story of gingerbread and international facts about gingerbread.
Using just one cookie-cutter my boys made both reindeer and gingerbread men cookies.
Christmassy Indeed; The Best Hallmark Christmas Town in Texas!
Our Texan-German Christmas Town
Indeed, Fredericksburg, Texas was the perfect combination of everything Christmassy. While there weren’t open stalls, there were beer gardens, more than 150 boutiques and stores open with wine tasting, spiced warm Glühwein, unique treasures, and particularly German gift finds.
We stopped a few times to enjoy live music, watch candles being handmade, and some other little sidewalk treasures discovered.
Just walking the downtown main street was pleasant, magical, and fun.
A mailbox for Santa!
More Christmas Cheer
Just off the main street, there was, even more, Christmas cheer to experience such as Eisbahn (outdoor ice-skating), Christmas Historical Home Tours, Wine Tours, and at the Pioneer Museum’s Kinderfest they had another Santa, Christmas crafts, fun-interactive songs, and cookies with hot cocoa. Also….
Der Singende Weihnachtsbaum (Singing Christmas Tree) on the outside grounds of the Pioneer Museum
Holy Ghost Lutheran Church had a Christmas nativity display showcasing hundreds of crèches and lighted displays representing various cultures and artworks
Christmas Checklist One-Stop Experience; Best Christmas Town in Texas
Christmastime in Fredericksburg, TX gave us the opportunity to experience every Christmas checklist that I try to experience with my children. Checklist: Santa(s), Christmas songs-singing-caroling, amazing Christmas lights, memorable Christmas activities with kids, a Live Nativity, a sense of cultural weight, Christmas cookies and crafts all in ONE day!!
Where We Stayed
We stayed in one of the little family-owned and operated cottages of the Peach Tree Inn & Suits. The inside of the cottage was simple but clean and comfortable. The location couldn’t be beaten. It took us 6 minutes to walk to the main street. The extra touch of a local bottle of wine gifted from the Peach Tree Inn Family was the perfect example of Texas hospitality which we continued to experience all over Fredericksburg.
Merry Weihnachten, y’all!
Thanks for reading my post: The Best Hallmark Christmas Town in Texas.
Do you have a Christmas Town in the USA to recommend?
