It was a pleasant day in Rüdesheim am Rhein, the air a crispy autumn. Hills covered with vineyards. Streets full of quintessential quaintness. Ornate buildings with wooden decorations, vines, narrow alleys, restaurants and shops. There's an airway tram that leads to the top of a hill where you can view the Rhine River from above, ships slipping out of sight.
There's a Christmas shop, which are always a treat to visit while in Germany. Large and full of warmth. The window display overflowing with ornate nutcrackers.
In a back room was a cupboard. Inside was a delightful array of wooden figurines and displays. Hand painted dolls and sets. Some were Christmas themed. Some represented the seasons. I wanted one of the spring fairies holding flowers. If I had a few hundred dollars I wouldn't have hesitated. They were pretty and sweet. Detailed. There were notes everywhere written in English and other languages forbidding picture taking. So I attempted to take a mental image, which, after nearly two years, the image is fading to a blur. Emotion and wonder remains.
While heading back to the river I went into a little gift shop tailored for tourist. After some exploring I found a small cupboard with tiny wooden figurines just as delightful as what I saw in the previous store, but at a price I could splurge. I found a little girl wearing a winter coat and holding a star. She was quickly purchased and has had a treasured spot on my dresser ever since.
She's apart of the Hubrig Winter Kids collection named, "Star, Give Us Light." I've been searching online for this figure since the trip in October of 2018, just to find more of the like, and other wooden German styled Christmas decorations, which are hard to find here in the States. After much time I found Erzgebirge Palace, which has many fun things to see. Germany really has some fun Christmas decorations, figures, displays, and ornaments.
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