Ah, I missed those.
I probably also should have twigged from the mention of Radio Wien. Sorry, it's been a slow morning.

Nevertheless, I can imagine the Europeans generally being more civilised about it. I imagine the Austrians, like the Swedes, keep it very traditional.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 7 Dec 2009, 12:04, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

True, for an example see
www.weihnachtsmarkt.co.at/

Of course there's tat you can buy. But rather than an outdoor shopping experience, people treat it as a social thing. Friends and colleages meet there after work, to drink punsch and glüwein and eat little cinnamon pastries.

It's actually rather uplifting. All we are missing at the moment is a romantic dusting of snow, which should hopefully arrive soon.
(ragged, Mon 7 Dec 2009, 12:11, Reply)

That sounds really nice
I was down in Southampton this last weekend and it's clear they've tried to do something similar in the centre of town. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have worked: whilst there's a lot of stands selling amusingly-shaped German sausages and mulled wine, it doesn't seem to have done much to abate the mechanical shopping frenzy of the local populace. A shame, really.

As for the snow, there appears to be an occluded front due to drift over you in the next day or two, but the pressure's going to be quite high and there's a warm front behind it. Cold but dry, I would guess, but then I don't really know what I'm talking about.
(LongJohnBaldry, Mon 7 Dec 2009, 12:22, Reply)

Southampton is the anus of Western Europe

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 7 Dec 2009, 12:57, Reply)

You've never been
to Cumbernauld, then?
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Mon 7 Dec 2009, 13:15, Reply)

Cumbernauld is the 'dodgy mole'
of Western Europe...
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 7 Dec 2009, 14:10, Reply)

But the Austrians
put their Christmas trees up on a long pole, and leave them there all year.

That's odd, that is.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Mon 7 Dec 2009, 12:33, Reply)

And intsead of Yule Logs
they are complicit in the murder of 6 million Jews!

KERRRRAZY!!
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 7 Dec 2009, 12:58, Reply)