Christmas wishes for in-laws USA families love to send at the holidays carry warmth, gratitude, and a little American cheer. Whether you are writing to your mother-in-law in Texas, your father-in-law in Ohio, or your brother-in-law and sister-in-law across the country, the right words can make the family dinner feel even closer. This list brings together heartfelt, funny, and short messages made for American homes, snowy mornings, and long drives home for Christmas. In-laws become family in the truest sense at Christmas. They welcome you to the table, share treasured recipes, cheer for the same football team, and help trim the tree. A thoughtful wish thanks them for that welcome and tells them how much their love means through the year. Use these 45 wishes in a card, a text, a holiday letter, or a toast at the table. Pick one that fits your family, add a personal line about a shared memory, and send it early so it arrives before the turkey is carved and the eggnog is poured. Last up...
15 Best Things to Do at Christmas in Trier (2026)
Christmas in Trier is one of Germany's best-kept holiday secrets. The Trierer Weihnachtsmarkt spreads about 95 wooden stalls across the medieval Hauptmarkt and the Domfreihof square, in the shadow of Germany's oldest cathedral. Advent here feels like stepping inside a snow globe.
Trier is Germany's oldest city, founded by the Romans over 2,000 years ago and once the Western capital of the Roman Empire. At Christmas the Porta Nigra glows after dark, the market smells of cinnamon and Moselle wine, and no other German market serves its history this deep.
The 2026 market runs from November 20 to December 22, 2026, closed on Sunday, November 22 for Totensonntag. Hours are Monday to Thursday 11 am to 8:30 pm, Friday and Saturday until 10 pm, and Sunday until 8 pm; entry is free. Always double-check hours at trier-weihnachtsmarkt.de before you travel.
This guide collects the 15 best things to do at Christmas in Trier, in five parts: the market, the Roman wonders, the food and drink, ideas for every traveler, and sights beyond the stalls. Warm up your greeting — Frohe Weihnachten means Merry Christmas — and let's walk through two thousand years of Christmas.
Last updated: October 17, 2026
Jump to: The Market | Roman Trier | Food and Drink | For Every Traveler | Beyond the Market | More Inspiration | FAQ
Step Into the Trierer Weihnachtsmarkt
The market is the beating heart of Christmas in Trier. Go by day for the stalls, after dark for the lights.
1. Wander the 95 Stalls of the Hauptmarkt
Trier's medieval main square turns into an open-air Christmas shop each Advent. Stalls in garlands and white lights sell hand-carved ornaments, candles, wooden toys and knitwear. Arrive before noon to browse in peace, and bring cash — many stallholders take no cards.
2. Sip Moselle Winzerglühwein and Meet the Mulled Wine Queen
Trier sits in the Moselle wine country, so its Glühwein (mulled wine) comes from local vintners' wines. Watch for the German Mulled Wine Queen, who tours the market through December. A mug costs around five euros plus a small Pfand (deposit) — return the cup for a refund or keep it as a souvenir.
3. Explore the Domfreihof and the Cathedral Market
The market spills from the Hauptmarkt to the Domfreihof, the square before the Trierer Dom (Trier Cathedral). This quieter wing holds the great Christmas tree, the nativity display and Santa's visits, with Romanesque stone glowing behind the stalls. Step inside for Advent services and the treasury's medieval goldwork.
Walk Through Two Thousand Years of Christmas
No other market offers this: a Christmas stroll through a city the Romans built.
4. See the Porta Nigra Illuminated at Night
The Black Gate is Trier's signature Roman monument and the largest surviving Roman city gate north of the Alps. Climb its stone stairways by day for views over the market rooftops; at night it stands floodlit above the crowds, the most photographed sight of Christmas in Trier. Go twice.
5. Step Inside Trier Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady
The Trierer Dom is Germany's oldest cathedral, its core a fourth-century Roman church. Advent candlelight plays across Roman columns and medieval altars, and the treasury holds gem-encrusted reliquaries. Next door, the Gothic Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche) stuns with medieval stained glass.
6. Tour the Roman Sites: Aula Palatina, Imperial Baths and Amphitheater
Ten minutes on foot from the market, the Aula Palatina — the vast brick hall built for Constantine — looms over its square, still used as a church. The Kaiserthermen (Imperial Baths) hide vaulted passages and underground tunnels. Farther out, the Roman amphitheater once held 20,000 spectators.
Taste Trier at Christmas
Come hungry. Trier's market kitchen leans hearty and sweet, with Moselle wines pouring alongside.
7. Feast on Reibekuchen, Bratwurst and Sweet Dumplings
Start with Reibekuchen — crisp potato pancakes with applesauce or a cool cream dip — then tackle the oversized sausages over open flame grills. Save room for warm waffles, roasted chestnuts and chocolate-dipped fruit. Locals say the dampfnudeln, sweet steamed dumplings with vanilla sauce, are worth the queue.
8. Try Feuerzangenbowle and Glühviez
Beyond classic Glühwein, try Feuerzangenbowle (fire-tongs punch): spiced wine crowned with a rum-soaked sugar loaf set alight, melting caramel into the cup. For something only the Moselle does, order Glühviez — hot mulled apple wine. Both beat the December chill, so pace yourself and share.
9. Stock Up on Lebkuchen and a Souvenir Mug
Pick up gingerbread hearts and Lebkuchen (spiced honey cookies), hand-dipped candles and wooden Räuchermännchen smokers for gifts. Do not leave without the year's Trier mug: every stall uses the same ceramic design with a deposit, and keeping it is the cheapest, most-used souvenir on the square.
Festive Ideas for Every Kind of Traveler
Christmas in Trier adapts to whoever you travel with — and to whatever you can spend.
10. Families: Puppet Theatre, Carousel and Santa
Kids get their own Trier. The antique carousel spins through Advent, the historic puppet theatre runs Christmas shows, and Santa greets children at the Domfreihof. Carol workshops teach little ones German carols, while warm Kinderpunsch (children's punch) keeps small hands busy.
11. Couples: A Romantic Evening by the Lights
Trier has been called the most romantic Christmas market in the world, and the claim survives a test walk. Share a Feuerzangenbowle under the lit Christmas pyramid, stroll from the Domfreihof to the glowing Porta Nigra, and end on the Moselle promenade watching city lights on the water.
12. Budget Travelers: Free Sights and Smart Savings
Trier is kind to careful wallets. Market entry is free, the Roman monuments and cathedral cost nothing from outside, and several museums run free or reduced winter hours. Bring cash to avoid ATM fees, eat one big Reibekuchen lunch instead of two snacks, and keep the Pfand mug as your only souvenir.
Go Beyond the Market Square
Trier rewards those who walk a little further. These three excursions round out the trip.
13. Visit the Karl Marx House
The philosopher Karl Marx was born in Trier in 1818, and his baroque birthplace is now a museum tracing his life and ideas. It is a thoughtful counterpoint to the market's merriment, open through Advent with winter hours. The gift shop stocks the city's famous Marx-themed souvenirs.
14. Walk the Moselle River Promenade
Ten minutes on foot from the Hauptmarkt, the Moselle rolls wide and quiet beneath the winter sky. Walk between the Römerbrücke (Roman bridge) and the Zurlauben quarter to clear your head, with vineyard slopes rising across the water. On clear evenings the route back becomes a tunnel of lights.
15. Take a Day Trip to Bernkastel-Kues or Luxembourg City
The Moselle valley keeps giving: Bernkastel-Kues, half an hour upriver, pairs half-timbered lanes with its own small market and castle views. Or ride the train about 45 minutes to Luxembourg City, where the Winterlights festival fills the old town with markets and concerts.
More Christmas Inspiration
If Trier has you dreaming of more German markets, keep exploring our Christmas guides:
- 15 Best Things to Do at Christmas in Würzburg (2026)
- 15 Best Things to Do at Christmas in Funchal (2026)
Trier Christmas FAQ
When is the Trier Christmas market in 2026?
The market runs November 20 to December 22, 2026, across the Hauptmarkt and Domfreihof. It is closed on Sunday, November 22 for Totensonntag. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday 11 am to 8:30 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 10 pm, and Sunday 11 am to 8 pm. Confirm the times at trier-weihnachtsmarkt.de before traveling.
Where exactly is the Trier Christmas market?
The market fills the Hauptmarkt, Trier's medieval main square, and extends to the Domfreihof in front of the Trierer Dom (Cathedral of St. Peter). Trier's main station, Hauptbahnhof, is about a 10 to 15 minute walk away.
Do I need cash at the Trier Christmas market?
Yes. Many food and drink stalls are cash only, although some gift stalls accept cards. Bring euros, and remember that the Glühwein mug deposit (Pfand) is refunded when you return the mug.
What is Glühviez?
Glühviez is Trier's local specialty: hot mulled apple wine made from Moselle apples, served the same way as Glühwein. It is lighter than mulled red wine and a favorite with locals — ask for it by name at the wine stalls.
Is the Trier Christmas market family-friendly?
Very. Entry is free, Santa visits the Domfreihof, the antique carousel runs all season, the puppet theatre stages Christmas shows, and Kinderpunsch gives children their own warm drink. The compact old town keeps everything walkable for small legs.
How do I get to Trier?
Trier has direct regional trains from Koblenz, Saarbrücken, Cologne and Luxembourg City (about 45 minutes from Luxembourg). The nearest major airports are Frankfurt-Hahn and Luxembourg. Once you arrive, the entire old town and market are walkable.
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