Christmas Market 2023

Dear Users, Dear Authors,
Are you selling items at the Christmas market this year, or do you enjoy visiting the Christmas market during Advent or the pre-Christmas season?

We used to love wandering around the big Christmas markets for hours on end. Aside from the fact that my husband can’t do that anymore, it’s also been way too crowded for us the last few times we went, and the selection there has really gone downhill.
But there’s a farm with a farm stand right nearby, and they always have a very small but charming Christmas market there—and it’s never crowded. I’ll definitely go there sometime; it’s a lovely walk through the fields.

I hardly ever go to a Christmas market either—it’s really not as nice as it used to be, and it’s so packed that it’s hardly any fun, especially since it’s hard enough to get around on cobblestones with a walker anyway.

Best regards, Inge

Well, I like to go for a stroll at the Christmas market every now and then—as long as it’s not absolutely packed, of course.
It’s just a small one here anyway, so there are more food stalls than Christmas decorations, plus a carousel for the kids and a small artificial ice rink for skating.
The highlight is always a mug of mulled wine and a mushroom dish, or those waffles with powdered sugar. That’s all I need.

Hugs, Andrea

I’m planning to set up a booth at a market this year to sell my handmade crafts.

Otherwise, I enjoy visiting small Christmas markets with vendors selling their handmade crafts. It’s nice to stroll around, have pleasant conversations, and find a few little things for Christmas gifts.

Of course, mulled wine and waffles are a must. 

No, most likely not.
I don’t see the appeal of the Christmas market. Just food and drink stalls, a makeshift carousel for the little ones, and tons of cheap Chinese junk. I don’t need that.
But I’ll definitely go to the bazaar here and maybe to the small craft market if it takes place again.
Best regards, Marita 

I’ve signed up for two Christmas markets—one is small but charming, while the other is a bit larger. I went last year, and I really enjoyed selling my handmade items; it’s nice to see how much people like my things. I had some really nice and meaningful conversations.
I’m also planning to visit a Christmas market with my sister, though I don’t know yet which one, how long we’ll stay, or where it is....

Does the Christmas market help you get into the Christmas spirit?

Definitely not—not for me. It’s way too loud there, and a real Christmas is quiet and peaceful. It has to start in the heart. Christmas is about love, faith—not necessarily in God—hope, and humanity. Only when you find that can it truly be Christmas.
Warm regards, Marita 

P.S.: So to speak.
We had a small market here a while back. The atmosphere was always really nice—truly cozy. There was no commercialism. There was coffee and cake… homemade treats. Handicrafts, woodwork. You could buy cookies or liqueurs. Anyone who didn’t have a Christmas wreath yet could find one there. There was also a carousel for the kids with soft Christmas music playing. That really got me in the spirit…
Unfortunately, it’s no longer there. The organizer stopped hosting it due to age.
Best regards, Marita 

Hi everyone.
I have an appointment at the end of the month for a nice little market. It takes place out in the countryside, in a village community center. The building is very lovely; only handmade items are offered, and of course coffee/tea, cakes baked by the countrywomen’s association (delicious!), as well as bratwurst and mulled wine. The local baker also has a stall with stollen, etc. 
The atmosphere is wonderful, and the market is very well known and popular in our area. I really enjoy the personal contact with people. I can also chat with “colleagues” for a change. 
I’ll probably visit a Christmas market somewhere myself too. But not at peak times; like many others, I find it too crowded then, with too much pushing and shoving. 
Most of the time, we choose a smaller market where there are still special stalls. 
Best regards 
Karola 

When I visit small markets, I definitely feel the Christmas spirit. It smells good, it’s cold, and there’s mulled wine and punch… for me, that’s what the pre-Christmas season is all about.

At the big ones in the cities, though, not so much. They’re too crowded, too loud, and not cozy. 

When I read Marita’s post, I got goosebumps. I completely agree with her.

Christmas begins in the heart and quietly. There’s no need for an artificially created Christmas atmosphere, which, unfortunately, is becoming more and more common at Christmas markets. Coziness in your own home, candles, eating cookies together in the afternoon, a few festive decorations—and, of course, my knitting needles and yarn. 

I only love Christmas markets when they have stalls with handmade goods—handicrafts, yarn of course, wooden items, baskets, jars, candles, Christmas decorations, wreaths, and much more. One place I really like, for example, is the Christmas market at Gut Aiderbichl near Salzburg. You can always find something there, and they serve vegetarian food. The animals there are, of course, another highlight. We might very well stop by there this year.

The Christmas market in Salzburg was also a wonderful experience many years ago. I can’t say what it’s like there now, though. I still have a handmade candle from there, shaped like a red rose. A very lovely memory.