In Search of Santa Claus:
Myths, Markets, and Meaning in Alsace

We begin our journey in Strasbourg, a city transformed each winter into a glowing, fragrant, storybook version of itself. After settling in, we’ll stroll through the historic Petite France quarter and get our first taste of the Christkindelsmärik—the oldest Christmas market in France. In the evening, we’ll watch Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and discuss how this animated classic draws on deeper folklore traditions of Santa’s “origin story.”

Activities:

• Arrivals throughout the day into Strasbourg Train Station

• Hotel check-ins

• Welcome dinner in Petite France

• Orientation walk to Strasbourg Cathedral and Christkindelsmärik

• Seminar overview: What do we mean by “In Search of Santa”?

• 🎬 Evening screening: Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town

  • Discussion: "How did Santa get his job?"​

Today we explore the origin of Santa Claus through the story of St. Nicholas, the generous bishop of Myra. The Musée Alsacien will deepen our understanding of holiday customs unique to the Alsace region. In the evening, we’ll watch a second classic holiday film and reflect on the sacred and magical threads that connect ancient and modern Santa lore.​

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In the afternoon, we'll introduce Operation North Star, our optional creative project for participants who’d like to explore the meaning of Santa Claus through their own short story, scene, or reflection. We’ll distribute the first writing prompt, explain the two upcoming workshops, and invite anyone interested to begin their own narrative journey.

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​Activities:

• Morning visit to Musée Alsacien

• Seminar: “The Real St. Nicholas – Bishop, Protector, Gift-Giver”

• Free time at the Strasbourg market stalls

• Operation North Star writing prompt distributed for those participating

• 🎬 Evening screening: The Little Drummer Boy

  • ​Discussion: “Santa’s sacred shadow: Religion and the spirit of giving”

We head into the snowy Vosges mountains to visit Mont Sainte-Odile, a sacred mountaintop sanctuary steeped in legend, followed by the storybook town of Obernai, where holiday traditions still echo through cobbled streets and gingerbread-scented air. This is a day to explore the older magic behind the Santa myth—from midwinter rituals and sacred landscapes to the ancient customs that gave rise to early gift-bringer figures long before the North Pole came into view.

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As we move between forested hills and festive villages, we reflect on the pre-Santa Christmas—a blend of Christian miracles, folk spirits, and seasonal storytelling. While in Obernai, we gather for a guided tasting of traditional vin chaud, offering our first introduction to the warm spiced wines of the region and the sensory rituals that define the Alsatian winter. In the late afternoon, participants in Operation North Star convene for their first writer’s workshop.

Activities:

• Private coach to Mont Sainte-Odile (approx. 1 hr)

• Themed walk through the sanctuary grounds and forest trails exploring “Nature, Magic, and Midwinter Myths”

• Lunch stop and exploration of the Obernai Christmas market

• Mulled wine tasting with local vendor who explains the differences between red and white vin chaud

• 🖋️ Optional Writer’s Workshop I (2 hours)

  • Generative writing session with prompts and discussion. Let's also work on dialogue and tags!

• ​🎬 Evening screening: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

  • ​Discussion: “Misfits and folklore—why Rudolph matters”

We cross into Germany today to visit Freiburg and its beloved Christmas market, nestled beneath the spires of the Münster cathedral. German holiday figures—Christkind, Knecht Ruprecht, and Weihnachtsmann—helped shape the modern Santa myth through centuries of storytelling, winter ritual, and artistic reinvention.

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This is also a day of breathing room: time for market browsing, quiet reflection, or drafting your story beneath a glowing tree. For those interested in a deeper layer, we offer an optional evening discussion back in Strasbourg that asks a provocative question: Would Santa have crossed a border to fight for justice?

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Activities

• Train to Freiburg, Germany

• Visit to the Münsterplatz Christmas Market

• Optional visit to Holiday customs exhibit at the Freiburg City Museum

• Operation North Star prompt #2 available (optional)

• Optional evening salon: “Santa at the Border”

  • No formal screening tonight—take a breath)

Today we travel to the storybook village of Wissembourg, nestled near the northern edge of Alsace where dense forests meet old borders—and where darker winter legends have taken root for centuries. After time to explore the village’s charming Christmas market and timber-framed lanes, we gather for a brief seminar on European “shadow figures”—from Père Fouettard and Knecht Ruprecht to the terrifying Hans Trapp, Alsace’s own Christmas bogeyman.

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These tales remind us that Santa wasn’t always a jolly solo act. For generations, he traveled with companions who punished instead of rewarded, frightened instead of comforted. Through this lens, we ask: What does a culture gain—or lose—when its myths evolve toward cheer and away from consequence?

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To balance the shadows with warmth, we then enjoy a curated tasting of regional Alsatian wines, including Gewürztraminer and Riesling—aromatic varietals that have long accompanied winter gatherings in this region. In the late afternoon, participants in Operation North Star reconvene for our second writer’s workshop, revising and polishing stories ahead of our final sharing salon.

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Activities:

• Travel by private coach to Wissembourg

• Wine tasting at a local cave en route back to Strasbourg

• 🖋️ Optional Writer’s Workshop II (2 hours)

  • ​Revision workshop and feedback. Let's also work on POV!

• ​🎬 Evening screening: The Year Without a Santa Claus

  • ​Discussion: “What happens when Santa gives up?”

Our final day celebrates the stories we’ve explored—and the ones we’ve written. In the morning, we gather for a festive cookie-baking workshop before venturing into the markets one last time. In the evening, we hold our farewell dinner and Operation North Star Salon, where those who wish may share their stories by candlelight.

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Activities:

• Morning bredele (Alsatian holiday cookie) workshop

• Free time at markets, museums, or Advent services

• Optional journal reflection or story polishing

• Farewell dinner at a traditional Alsatian winstub

• ✨ Operation North Star Reading Salon (optional sharing night)

  • Selected story readings (volunteer only)

  • 🎬 Final Rankin/Bass montage + music playlist

  • Group reflection: “Which Santa lives in you?”

The seminar ends, but the journey continues. Depart for home or take an optional self-guided adventure to nearby Colmar or Basel to soak in one more day of holiday wonder.​

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Activities:

• Morning departures

• Optional self-guided extension to Colmar, Eguisheim, or Basel

• Operation North Star story submission deadline (digital or mail-in within 10 days)

• Optional: Post-trip publication in the 2025 North Star Anthology