Lucky Charms

In Austria we use to give lucky charms (for instance horse shoes, chimney sweepers, fly agarics, ladybugs, pigs, lucky clovers) to friends and family at the beginning of a new year. For those who have a sweet tooth (like me for instance) there are even sweet lucky charms... Dear readers, I hope you have a beautiful New Year's Eve! I'm very much looking forward to spending another year with you!

Christmas Sale

In most stores Christmas sale started on Monday. Based on my own experience I can tell you that the shopping streets and centers were crowded... Even if a lot of shops have already had special offers before Christmas.

Red Christmas Dress

I just couldn't ignore this red Christmas dress in the window of a jewelry store in the city center. Do you like it too?

Another Sweet Christmas Decoration

Yesterday I discovered this literally sweet Christmas decoration in the window of a small new pastry shop in the 13rd district.

Christmas Illuminations #3

Ten huge chandeliers are illuminating the Graben during the Christmas season. Each of them weighs 40-50kg and consists of 20.000 LEDs.

Another Christmas Tree

To end the small series of Christmas trees and the Christmas holidays here's the tree in front of (foggy) St. Stephen's Cathedral.

O Christmas Tree, o Christmas Tree...

The huge Christmas tree in front of Schönbrunn Palace.

Merry Christmas!

This year the huge Christmas tree in front of the city hall is lit in the French national colours in homage to the victims of the tragic events in Paris on November 13...
In Austria we are celebrating Christmas this very night: The tree is set up and lit for the very first time, the Christkind (Christ child) places the presents beneath the tree, bells announce the arrival of the Christkind into the house - when he arrives the family gathers around the tree and sings Christmas carols. The presents will be unwrapped and a lot of families will eat a baked carp for Christmas dinner.
Dear readers, I wish you all a very merry Christmas!! Frohe Weihnachten!!

Driving Home The Christmas Tree

Have you already bought and decorated your Christmas tree? In Austria we usually set up the tree not until Christmas Eve. In Vienna the sale of the Christmas trees started on December 12. I love to see people carrying home their tree by foot or in the public means of transport.

Sweet Christmas Decoration

The confectionary Gerstner put some houses made of chocolate in its window for the Christmas season.

Upside Down

The Christmas decoration in the window of a make up studio in the city center.

4th Sunday of Advent

"Be merry all, be merry all,
With holly dress the festive hall;
Prepare the song, the feast, the ball,
To welcome merry Christmas." - William Robert Spencer

Christmas Illuminations #2

Christmas lights on Ringstrasse, next to Vienna's biggest christmas market in front of the city hall.

Eye-Catching Display

I discovered this eye-catching way to arrange Christmas decorations for sale in an exclusive florist that offers also home and garden accessories.

An Inspiration?

For my female followers: Is this an inspiration for your Christmas outfit? A skirt made of fir branches?

Christmas Illuminations #1

The merchants of the Viennese shopping streets have to pay the Christmas illuminations in large part by themselves, that's why the lights show great variety. On Kohlmarkt in the city center you can currently walk under a beautiful "sky" of glittering lights.

Out of Time

I guess the time when a rocking horse was a much sought-after toy is over...
By the way, if you want to connect with Vreni's Vienna Daily Photo on instagram, please click here.

An Angel is Watching You

A huge angel is currently watching the shoppers in the passage of the upscale "Golden Quarter" shopping district in the city center.

3rd Sunday of Advent

It's time to get ready for Christmas. Have you already digged out or bought your Christmas tree decorations?

Winter Wonderland

It didn't snow in Vienna so far and according to the meteorologists we won't even have snow for Christmas. Nevertheless a confectionary in the city center shows this snowy village in one of its windows.

Winter at the MQ 2015 #3

The video projections of "Winter at the MQ" don't stop at the Leopold Museum...

Winter at the MQ 2015 #2

Here are two of the so-called "ice pavilions" where you can warm yourself up with punch and indulge in delicious treats during "Winter at the MQ".

Winter at the MQ 2015 #1

"Winter at the MQ" is the Advent event at the MuseumsQuartier Wien (MQ): In so called "ice pavilions" in the inner courtyard the MQ gastronomers serve punch specialities, DJs provide a diverse mix of music, there's an ice curling rink and a race track for remote-controlled cars, and video projections on the facades bathe the MQ in a very special light. The event runs through December 23.

December Sunset

The sun currently sets already at 04:00 p.m. Usually I'm still working at this time of the day, but last Friday I had the day off and enjoyed the view of the sunset behind the trees of the Danube Island.

Far Away...

I really miss the quiet atmosphere of the Old Danube, where the city seems so far away... It was good to come back last Friday.

2nd Sunday of Advent

In Austria today is not only the 2nd Sunday of Advent, but also Saint Nicholas Day. During the night Saint Nicholas filled the children's boots with gifts and sweets, and at the same time checked up on the children if they were good, polite and helpful last year. Saint Nicholas is usually accompanied by Krampus, a demon-like creature warning and punishing bad children. If the children were not good, he puts a tree branch in their boots. The K. u. K. Court Confectionary Bakery Demel  shows the "team" in one of its windows. Click here for Austrian actor Christoph Waltz's explanation of Krampus.

It is a Long Time...

It is a long time since my regular bicycle rides along the Old Danube last summer... Yesterday I had the day off and took a short walk by the water.

Trapped

"Trapped" is the title of this new mural in the 4th district by Swiss-Turkish contemporary artist ONUR.

Imperial Palace

Until 1918 the Imperial Palace was the political centre of the Austrian monarchy. Today it houses not only the offices of the Federal President, the ministers of the chancellor's office and the secretaries of state but also several museums and the Austrian National Library.

Waiting for Christmas

In Austria we don't only have Advent wreaths for the countdown to Christmas, but also Advent Calendars: they have 24 "windows", each of them reveals an image, a poem or a small gift such as a toy or a chocolate item. The first "window" was opened yesterday (December 1), the last will be opened on December 24 (Christmas Eve). In this photo you can see the beautiful Advent Calendar that I got from my aunt. It's too beautiful to open the windows! Fortunately I got another one (filled with chocolate) from my mother...

December Theme Day: Shop Window

The Christmas decoration in the window of the K. u. K. Court Confectionary Bakery Demel is whetting the appetite of the passers-by for Christmas cookies.
Click here to view thumbnails of all participants in the theme day.