LANDSHUT: The Landshut Christmas market in southern Germany has all the usual trimmings involving chestnuts roasting, mulled wine steaming and music blaring from wooden chalets lined with artificial snow. But this year, due to the epidemic visitors have to respect the Covid restrictions. 

The visitors must enjoy the sights and smells of the traditional Christmas market from inside their cars due to precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The occupants can roll into Christmas market drive-in with social distance inside. Once through the gates, they must wait for an employee wearing a mask and a Christmas hat to knock on their window and offer them a menu of savoury treats to choose from, such as crepes, sausages and roasted chestnuts. They can drive on to the next hut offering sweets such as candy floss or gingerbread hearts after the order is placed. Germany currently is again battling with the second wave of coronavirus infections, leisure and sporting facilities have been ordered to close while restaurants and bars can only offer takeaways. The markets have been an annual fixture in Germany since the 15th century when craftsmen and bakers were given special permission to ply their wares in town squares in the run-up to Christmas.

But now situations have changed so many German cities have cancelled their Christmas markets entirely this year, to keep the spirit and the economic benefits of Christmas alive, cities across the country have come up with creative initiatives. Once they've settled up the market, customers are free to return home basking in the glow of mulled wine apart from the designated drivers, of course.

Also Read:-

Pope Francis appoints new cardinals for African-American

150 demonstrators handcuffed for anti-lockdown protests in London

Beggar to Lawyer, Pakistan's first Transgender aims to become Judge