Christmas Gems

Christmas Markets

The Christmas Market orginated in Germany where, at Christmas time, traders and craftsmen would come into the towns and cities and display their wares.  There would be stalls of exquisitely carved wooden toys and ornaments.  The glass blowers would display their ornate glass baubles to hang on the Christmas tree and there would be many stalls for refreshments - freshly baked gingerbread, sweet roasted almonds and fancy sweets and marzipan figures.  There would also be stalls selling mulled wines and special beers.

Over the last 10 years the idea of the Christmas Market has caught on in the UK and several UK cities has been put on the map, almost entirely because of their Christmas Market.  Lincoln is said to have the biggest Christmas Market in Europe.  The setting is absolutely beautiful – a 12^th Century Cathedral and a Norman Castle overlooking brightly coloured stores, manned by people in Victorian costume.  The stalls sell anything, from hand-made Christmas decorations, to hand-made sweets, jewellery, crafts and anything you could possibly imagine.  You can do the Christmas shopping for the entire family plus circle of friends.  There are choirs entertaining the shoppers, there is street theatre and people can take part in the services in Lincoln Cathedral.

The city of Lincoln was inspired to hold the Christmas market by its German twin-town: Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, and traders from Neustadt come and set up their stalls in Lincoln to give real authenticity to the feel of the Christmas Market.  There is plenty of Gluehwein (mulled wine) to be had to keep warm and if you get a bit peckish there is Bratwurst (German sausage fried on a griddle), as well as Pfefferkuchen (German equivalent of Ginger Bread) and Christmas biscuits and sweets.

For those who want to experience a real German Christmas Market, many travel companies now arrange package holidays where you can enjoy the delights of many a German Christmas Market.  Since German re-unification the craftsmen and women of the Erzgebirge (the Erz Mountains) can show off their wares.  The Erzgebirge was part of East Germany and many of the Christmas handmade toys and ornaments were made here, as were a lot of the Christmas Tree decorations.