Thanksgiving will be november 24th and indeed, you'll be able to visit Christmas markets which are started around november 25th in many German cities.

From your point of view I'd consider the place from where you'll be returning home. So if you'd be able to take a plane from Munich, Munich would possibly be a good choice. If you'd have to return to a Berlin airport, I'd perhaps prefer to see some locations around Berlin or Dresden, as Pierette and Linda suggested. That way you won't loose too much time driving around.

Munich would be able to cover a vast range of interests: a great city, world class museums, all kinds and ranges of culinary institutions, a broad cultural program and probably a great disco and nightlife choice.

Dresden is a fantastic place for people interested in baroque arts (architecture, painting). It is perhaps more quiet and more intense than the big cities.

If you are crazy about Christmas markets you might want to stop at Nuernberg, which is considered the main, eldest and most typical of its kind in Germany (and the most crowded). Nuernberg is rich of cultural monuments and could be a nice stop on your way to Munich.

For Munich you could check http://www.in-muenchen.de/ for events taking place during your stay. The page http://www.in-muenchen.de/vorsklas.htm is listing a so called "Adventssingen" for Saturday, november 26th: "26.11. PRINZREGENTENTH. 16.30, 19.30 Münchner Adventssingen 2005 " in the Prinzregententheater. I don't know if there are still tickets available. But in any case I'd like to suggest to you to visit something of the kind. You'll experience the atmosphere of an old popular culture, even if it's not the kind of music you regularly listen.

Best Regards, Johannes Haltern am See, Germany