The Christkindl Markt is a German Christmas market here in Canada, that I grew up going to.
Visiting this market every December has become a kind of tradition in my family. It just doesn't quite feel like the festive season if I miss it.
Let's get into the festive spirit and talk all about this Weihnachten winter wonderland!
The days changes every year, but this year the market was on from December 5 to the 8th. Last year, I went with my mom and a few of her friends, but this year I went with just my mom before heading out to Michigan for the weekend.
Live Music
One of my favourite parts of the market is the live music. Sometimes there are choirs singing Christmas songs, and sometimes it stereotypical polka music. No matter what they play though, it's always a good time.
A friend of mine is actually performing the whole event, Jason White. He is an incredibly talented musican and composer that I had the pleasure of preformaing with in church band back in 2022/23. You absolutely need to check out his music!
Entertainment
At the market, there are blacksmith demonstrations outdoors that you can participate in. They are usually at the market every yea and are always quite popular, not just for their performance, but because of the heat from the demonstration. The booth is very much a welcome break from the cold.
Not everyone is tryign to get away fromt he cold however. There is also an ice sculpture contest, and of course skating in town square. Ice skating is always fun, I had to bring ym skates and get on the ice. The ice sulpture contest however was on the Saturday, which I wasn't able to go to. I bet is awesome though.
Like I talked about in last week's article, there are markets that have maple taffy demonstrations and this happens to be one of them! This is where you can make your own maple taffy using crushed ice or clean snow and boiling syrup. We went to the market on the Friday, so sadly we missed them, but you defintiely gotta give it a try if you visit!
There is also a kid zone called Kidskindl, where they can get a photo with Santa, ride a ferris wheel, enjoy a petting zoo, and decorate Christmas cookies. I don't know too much about the kid section, but the petting zoo I've seen in past years has just been a single donkey or sheep outside by townhall. Could be interesting to a child though.
German Goodies
There are loads of vendors each year, a lot of them returning vendors that we look forward to each year.
Some vendors sell prepared foods, such as German Christmas cookies and cakes like Pfeffernuss, Marzipanstollen (I can't stand Marzipan), Christstollen, and Lebkuchen.They also have baked goods such as Bretzels, Kaiser Brot, Roggenbrot, and so much more.
Other vendors sell hot foods on order such as Schnitzel on a bun, Wurst on a bun, waffles, funnel cakes, and more. Not completely German, but other cuisines and cultures have joined the market in recent years. You can also grab some good Korean, Indian, and Mediterranean foods.
If you want more German goodies though, there are tons of meats, cheeses, and sauces in true German fashion that you can buy. You also definitely need to check out the drinks!
It's not usually allowed in Canada to drink alcohol outside, but because this is a German market, the market fences off an outdoor area of the market where people can buy drinks and enjoy them in this designated area. If you visit, you must try Ghlüwein; it is a German Christmas staple.
If you fall in love with Glühwein and absoltuely must have more, there is a vendor who sells it in the bottle. I think it's just the fruit juice mix however, so you'd have to add your own alcohol which is normally red wine or brandy.
Beer Nuts
Out of all the vendors, the one I look forward to the most and would happily give all my money is a lady who sells Beer Nuts. I call her Beer Nut lady, but her stall is called... I look forward to seeing her every year!
She sells almonds, peanuts and ... as well as contton candy and sponge taffy. The nuts are coated in this chocolate, cinnamon, sugar syrup.
I always get the almonds and when they give them to you, they are often still warm in the bag, which makes them perfect for the chilly winter season.
The almonds soak up the sugar mixture, so they get softer and sweeter. They are the perfect blend between sweet and savoury. It is absolutely my favourite thing at the whole market. I cannot go without getting these beer nuts each year. I definitely buy more than I should so that I can enjoy them for as long possible.
If you visit the market, let me know how you like it! What was your favourite part of the experience?
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