The countdown is on: in just a few days, Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt will once again transform the city’s old town into a sea of lights, scents and festive sounds. On 28 November, this year’s Christkind, Nora Falk, will deliver the traditional opening prologue — officially launching one of Germany’s most beloved Christmas markets.
And of course, no visit to the market is complete without a steaming mug of Glühwein or Kinderpunsch. The question on many visitors’ minds: How much will a drink cost this year?
Prices stay stable — Glühwein still €4.50 per mug
According to Andreas Schillinger, a long-time stallholder and head of the so-called “Tassenpool” — the system managing cup deposits and cleaning — the prices for the 2025 season are now set.
- Traditional Glühwein: €4.50 per mug
- Berry wines (such as blueberry or cherry mulled wine): €5.00
- Punch (non-alcoholic): between €3.50 and €4.00
That means the festive favourites will cost roughly the same as last year, despite rising energy and ingredient costs across Germany’s hospitality sector.
Each stall calculates its own prices, so there may be small variations — particularly for Winzerglühwein (made by vintners) or the fiery Feuerzangenbowle, which can be a bit more expensive.
Cup deposit system and return rules
The deposit for mugs (Pfand) is centrally set and will remain at €5 this year, Schillinger confirmed. The “cup pool” system ensures that mugs can be returned to any participating stand, where they are collected, cleaned and reused across the market.
This approach keeps the Christkindlesmarkt both eco-friendly and logistically smooth — an important factor considering the millions of cups of hot drinks served during the Advent season.
Warm drinks, warm hearts
Despite the chill of early winter, the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt continues to promise warmth in every sense — through its mulled wine, its lights and its tradition.
As locals like to say: “Ein Glühwein gehört einfach dazu” — a cup of Glühwein simply belongs to Christmas.
And this year, at least, it won’t break the bank.
