There was a discussion earlier in the week in Leipzig, and what came out of this....starting yesterday (Wed)...is that heated wine (gluhwein) cannot be sold or served on the streets of the city between 10 PM and 6 AM.
Cold drinks on the streets? Fine.
Now, I need to bring two things here. First, around Christmas...it's a German custom to drink heated sugary gluhwein.
In a normal situation....you'd get heated up pretty quick with coffee cup of the heated wine. On sugar content? It's a mess....I won't argue about that factor.
Most Germans....in a normal Christmas market situation...would be standing there with a buddy or two....drinking a minimum of three or four cups of the stuff. Yes, they'd be a bit slushed-up and shouldn't be driving.
The second thing....bars, pubs and restaurants are closed (since 2 November). Christmarket operations? For the most part....closed down. You might find a food stand or two in most shopping districts....still running and likely serving heated wine.
To be honest....other than gas stations, I can't think of too many places where you can even get a cold beer after 10 PM in Germany.
As for the real impact of this warm wine deal?
Leipzig is one of those cities in Germany that is marginally making it through each evening without some type of 'war' starting up between revolutionaries and the police. You can laugh over this description....but things simply aren't that calm in the city.
I would imagine the city council would like to prevent drunken behavior from going up to confrontations, and this ban-rule is a way to accomplish this.
The fact that you might order up three or four cups of gluhwein at 9:30 PM and guzzle it down real quick? It's best if you don't bring this up.
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