Whenever my dad goed to Germany for work, his aunt places an order of schnaps :)

Around Christmas time they have these dried fruit cakes (think it’s called Christstollen) but I’m personally not very fond of those.

I think you’ll find a good Christmas market in any large German city in December – I never heard reports of a bad one. My parents liked the one in Köln best (but a bit crowded). For ‘normal’ shopping my mom swears by the giant Oberhausen mall (CentrO) near Düsseldorf & Düsseldorf itself.

Ninja has given good places to shop at Christmas. I would have said those cities too, but also want to add Nürnberg as I’ve heard their Advent Market is quite nice.

All very good places to visit for Christmas gifts. However, seeing as my wife is from the southern Black Forest, one of the largest markets is in Stuttgart. We also like to travel to the one in Freiburg im Breisgau as well as the one in Strasbourg, France which they have been holding next to their cathedral since 1570.