Nothing says Christmas around a city like a Christmas market. The lights may have gone up on the main streets and there might be a huge tree decorated outside the main square or council offices, but it’s only once the markets have set up and opened that people can really start to taste and smell the festive period – literally!
A lot of traditional Christmas markets involve stallholders from the local area who bring along their local produce for people to try and (hopefully) buy, while many of the larger markets like the ones in London listed on the Wow247 guide invite stallholders from all over the world to bring their own Christmas-themed foods and drinks with them to spread their festive cheer.
When you’re out looking for presents for your loved ones, you want to make sure that you get them something that they’re going to be happy to receive. While many people will ask for certain gifts – games consoles, tablet computers and other expensive items – others remember the true value of Christmas where it’s the thought that counts most of all and quite often it’s the handmade, unique gifts that you can find on Christmas markets that tick all of the boxes.
The local and international stallholders bring a wide variety of items to the various markets presenting the ideal opportunity to walk around with a hot chocolate or glass of mulled wine, running your eye over the different pieces of jewellery, the hand-sewn leather wallets and the individually knitted scarves that will keep you warm throughout the cold winter.
They also bring some amazing foods for you to try. There is quite often a continental food court at a Christmas market – there certainly is at the one in Manchester’s Albert Square, where visitors can sample a wide variety of foods from across Europe and even further afield.
The setting really does make the event much more special. Christmas markets by their very nature are filled with cheer and people looking to have a good time browsing through the stalls, munching through the food courts and sampling whatever might be on offer; but it’s the settings around Cathedrals and medieval sections of the city – like Lincoln or York – that make it truly special, especially if there’s a dusting of snow on the ground.
