This year there will be no Grinch to steal Christmas from us. Not even one in the shape of a virus. And it is that with a name as emblematic as it is unpronounceable, Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas returns for the second year to number 15 Banys Nous. The emblem of Christmas decoration par excellence, which was born in 1964 in Bavaria, returns to Barcelona to invade it with its immeasurable, and this is literal, Christmas spirit. And it is that after its openings in Belgium, France, Germany, the United States (and so on up to 16 stores), the Christmas decoration firm once again raises the curtain on its particular Christmas tale for the enjoyment of all lovers of this time of year.
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A fantasy factory
The determination of Wilhelm and Käthe Wohlfahrt, the founding couple of the brand, to give the same music box with the carol Silent Night to a family of American friends who were fascinated by the ornament, became an almost impossible mission as the Christmas season was almost over. And although the story has a happy ending, as they finally found it in a wholesale store where they could buy it, the couple had to acquire ten units. They gave one to their friends, but for the sale of the other nine Wilhelm and Käthe went from bazaar to bazaar with their little boxes, where they realized that everyone was fascinated by the little boxes. The spirit of Christmas was transformed into a business idea, that of creating beautiful ornaments for this time of year. And so began Käthe Wohlfahrt, a family business that is now in its third generation and that, despite its success, has not lost an iota of its essence.
"We work with glass, wood, tin… All our products are of the highest quality, made with care down to the last detail. I don't think you can find Christmas items like these in any store in Spain," explains Montse Escribano, director of the Käthe Wohlfahrt store in Barcelona. And it is very possible that she is right, since inspired by the world of traditional toys and the diversity of nature, all these Christmas objects are born in the workshop that the firm has in Rothenburg (Germany), and they do so with a mix between the contemporaneous spirit and the most traditional pieces.
Goodbye, Grinch and hello, caganer
It is impossible to feel impassive once inside this store that more than a shop is a Christmas attraction, la mthe largest in Spain, and which has also been built entirely by hand. Crossing the doors of number 15 Banys Nous is the closest thing to immersing oneself in a Christmas story in which each chapter is written by walking through streets full of magic where you can find everything: more than 6,300 items attest to this, and a constant humming, too.
For those who want to opt for other traditional ornaments, the music box, which was the origin of the brand, also occupies a very special place in the store. And while the most played song is Silent Night, other options with different Christmas carols can also be found.
And as a heartfelt tribute to Barcelona, Käthe Wohlfahrt has also created this year a series of exclusive pieces inspired by the city, much more contemporary than the incense smokers or music boxes. Among them are the Gaudí designs, the characteristic yellow and black taxi, the traditional caganer and even the Virgin of Montserrat, perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree. After all, who hasn't wanted to have a Moreneta as a Christmas ornament at some point?
It is difficult to define, and decide, what the wow factor of the store is, or at least to stick with just one because everything in its 300 square meters is quite impressive, but its four-and-a-half-meter-high fir tree undoubtedly has many chances of achieving it. And it is that for many, the tree is the true emblem of Christmas, something that Käthe Wohlfahrt also does not forget, where an infinite number of objects can be found to hang from its branches, some of them with finishes as unique as gingerbread or covered in frost, like the characteristic nutcracker dolls.
Quality, originality, and craftsmanship in a place like we have never seen before and that we can enjoy again in the center of Barcelona, carrer dels Banys Nous 15, and in a store open Monday to Friday, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The firm has 16 stores spread across Germany, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and the United States, in addition to having its own online store and being present in different Christmas markets.