@loriva If you haven’t been back to Berlin since the wall came down, you are in for a big surprise. I was stationed there in the early ‘70s and then visited several years ago albeit not at Christmas time. I understand from a niece that lived in Berlin recently that there are a number of Christmas Markets to visit. Dresden also has a large market.
Some things remained the same such as the Hollow Tooth, Lipstick and Powder Box as well as the Pregnant Oyster; others were masterfully reconstructed and modernized like the Reichstag. Don’t miss touring the Reichstag, try for a timed entry that will let you enjoy sunset or sunrise; do this online in advance.
We really enjoyed visiting Museum Island to see the interior of buildings not accessible to us when we lived there. Walking through the Brandenburg Gate, looking straight up at The Pope’s Revenge, and visiting the museum at the former Outpost Theater and our former apartment in the “US housing area” also brought back memories and emotions.