VillageAdvent in Filzmoos

“What? It’s Christmas again already? It wasn’t so long ago it was Easter“, I ponder. And once again the year has passed so quickly and the Advent season has come around again so soon. Yet, I love this feeling of anticipation about the up and coming season. It’s back again – the magic of the pre-Christmas period. The quiet and reflective time of year is here. For many people it’s a very special time, as it is for me too. The Advent period is definitely one of the best times of the year. I love watching the snow falling, lighting candles in the flat, baking Christmas biscuits, cuddling up in my favourite blanket and simply having time for myself and my family.
A lovely quote about Advent by Gudrun Kropp describes my feelings: “The Advent period is a time, where you have time to think about what’s worth taking time for.”   Up to now the year 2020 was anything but easy. Everything’s different due to the corona crisis, the pre-Christmas period included.  Yet we want to enjoy this atmospheric period – as best as possible – and to give you an idea of the coming events in our idyllic mountain village. I’d like to tell you about my experiences last year and to convince you that the idyllic mountain village of Filzmoos is an absolute insider tip for capturing the magic of the pre-Christmas period.  Last year I invited my boyfriend’s family from Germany to get to know Filzmoos at this idyllic and wonderful time for a few days. As the quietest time of year can be ideally combined with the first winter sports days.

Christmas Idyll in Filzmoos

An idyllic Advent trail around the Almsee Lake in the Hofalm areaIn December the Hofalm area and the Almsee lake are transformed into a tranquil Christmas idyll. Everyone visiting our lovely mountain village in winter has to have enjoyed a horse-drawn sleigh ride. This satisfying natural experience has a long tradition in the mountain village of Filzmoos. I hear the gentle ringing of the sleigh bells in the distance. We start in the village centre of Filzmoos and head towards Hinterwinkl. Then on further along the toll road, which is open exclusively for sleighs and walkers in winter. At a speed of 2 horse power we glide through forests and the wildly-romantic mountain landscape. The snow banks either side get higher and higher. Filzmoos is known as the snowiest village in SalzburgerLand. A reflective stillness reigns, interrupted only by the ringing of the sleigh bells and the snorting of the horses. The ride up to the Hofalm takes around 1 hour. Having enjoyed a schnaps in our sleigh along the way, we arrive at the foot of the Bischofsmütze mountain and admire the impressive scenery.
The days are getting shorter and the dark winter nights are predestined for telling tales. The Christmas Idyll in the Hofalm entices you to a reflective Advent experience. A mystical staging of a wonderfully beautiful winter wonderland that brings back childhood memories. We’ve already reserved a table in the Unterhofalm, yet before we enjoy our hearty refreshment stop, we head up to the Almsee Lake. The gently illuminated circular trail takes around 30 minutes and leads through an unspoilt winter landscape. Amid this tranquil winter wonderland, a life-size nativity scene, a silhouette and lots of other surprises await. We round of the evening in the Unterhofalm before we gently trot back down to the valley.

The Christmas Idyll can be reached on foot along a winter footpath, on snowshoes, by taxi or, most atmospheric of all by horse-drawn sleigh.  On foot it takes around an hour to the Hofalm. Please note that the path is not illuminated and you should perhaps take a headlamp with you.

Book horse-drawn sleigh rides:
(https://www.filzmoos.at/de/winter/winter-aktiv/pferdeschlittenfahrt.html)

Unterhofalm
The Schörghofer Family
Tel. 0043 664 3566751
Closed on Mondays

Oberhofalm
The Bliem Family
Tel. 0043 6453 8594
Closed on Tuesdays
VillageAdvent Filzmoos – a Christmas Market with Christmas biscuits, arts & crafts etc. in the Village Square combined with an Advent Walk to the “Filzmooser Child“ Pilgrimage Church. I’ll take you to the Christmas Market, which I visited last year with my boyfriend’s family. NEW: This year the venue for the Christmas Market is the Village Square. From 4.00 pm we can enjoy a small Advent Market with Christmas biscuits, arts & crafts and live programme of music. The scent of incense, vanilla horns and mulled wine entwines with the sounds of brass music and sleigh bells.

After visiting the Christmas Market, we wander up towards the church. The Advent Walk leads from the Village Square through the village to the Parish Church of the “Filzmoos Child“ and back down to the Village Square. Walking time is approx. 15 minutes. Petra and Rene are charmed by the Christmas spirit which you can feel throughout the village. The houses are illuminated with fairy lights and give the village a magical shine in Advent.To warm up and really get in a Christmassy mood we enjoy a mug of mulled wine along the way.

Advent at the Oberhof in Filzmoos - atmospheric Advent celebration with local music

To finish I’d like to invite my parents-in-law to an Advent afternoon in the Oberhofgut. The farmhouse snug is cosily warm and the scent of traditional fruit loaf oozes from the oven. “Christmas as in bygone days“. Poems and tales are read, Christmas songs are sung and you an enjoy the simple and traditional things in life.Won over by the magic of the pre-Christmas period which prevails in our village, Stefan’s family head back home. Yet it definitely won’t be their last visit to our winter idyll.

Other events in the Village of Filzmoos Culinary Advent

...a culinary tour of the Filzmoos Village restaurants – with horse-drawn sleighs, brass music, devils etc.There’s a very special event taking place in advent. All too often we don’t concentrate on the important things in life in the run up to Christmas: spending time with our loved ones. A small tip, where this could do this, is a visit to the “Culinary Advent” in Filzmoos. This culinary journey encompassing a unique 5-course Advent menu, wine tasting and accompanying music is a particular highlight this year. Tickets are available in the Filzmoos Tourist Office. You’ll find more information here: www.filzmoos.at
AdventNight Filzmoos – live Advent show from the Village of Filzmoos with international music stars and music groups from Filzmoos.   An atmospheric programme of music awaited the visitors. The Advent show was transmitted live from the Unterhofalm. It was a show with folk music stars, local musicians etc. Our ski and dancing star, Michi Kirchgasser  presented the programme.
Photo credits: Coen Weesjes, Ikarus, Alfred Hahn, Filzmoos Tourismus