I went to a Japanese Christmas market in Berlin a few years ago.
It was great.
It was great.
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[News] Christmas Markets
- Thread starter GJN1
- Start date
Weststander
Well-known member
Are you being saki?
Are (igat) you?
Anyone choosing to put themselves through this for a £10 pint, £10 sausage and the chance to browse the wares of dozens of marshmallow stalls is off their bloody rocker IMO.
- Jul 10, 2003
- 27,747
Never done the Xmas market thing, but for the last 40 years, I'll happily sit in a ski cafe/restaurant at about 11/12 each morning or 2/3 in the afternoon, drinking a Glühwein, Vin Chaud, Vin brulé, Glögg, Forralt bor, etc etc (same drink, bloody europeans !) and really enjoy it.
The moment you cross the border into the UK this is an absolutely shit drink. Even after we've been ice skating at the Pavilion it's still shit. How does that work
The moment you cross the border into the UK this is an absolutely shit drink. Even after we've been ice skating at the Pavilion it's still shit. How does that work
Weststander
Well-known member
Never done the Xmas market thing, but for the last 40 years, I'll happily sit in a ski cafe/restaurant at about 11/12 each morning or 2/3 in the afternoon, drinking a Glühwein, Vin Chaud, Vin brulé, Glögg, Forralt bor, etc etc (same drink, bloody europeans !) and really enjoy it.
The moment you cross the border into the UK this is an absolutely shit drink. Even after we've been ice skating at the Pavilion it's still shit. How does that work
Been skating this season yet? We went last Friday, fantastic.
Regarding The Alps, love it when hoteliers or bar owners won’t take no for an answer that you take and down their local high strength liquor. In Italy variations on Grappa.
- Jul 10, 2003
- 27,747
I remember a good few years ago, towards the end of the season being in a restaurant on the slopes in Italy. It was just under Mont Blanc so I'm guessing La Thuile.
We were having lunch and it was their last day of the season so after lunch the shots were flowing somewhat generously. Me, Mrs Wz and my son, who was 16 were fine, but getting my 14 year old daughter back to La Rosiere in France took a bit of concentration
The one in Toronto is quite good. It's at a former distillery which has been converted into shops, restaurants and even a couple of breweries. It makes it a nice to place to be with all the existing brick buildings, then they put up a giant tree and the usual wooden huts selling (mainly) tat. You just have to avoid going over the weekend, otherwise you get the crowds like the Manchester video above.
Super Steve Earle
Well-known member
Well here's the thing. I love a Christmas Market abroad. Don't bother with France, unregulated tat merchants. But Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg all great. In to double figures now. Hoping to do Riga next year as I haven't been to Mkts abroad since pre-covid. Didn't think British could compete till we did Bath a couple of years ago. Bloody busy, but almost as good as the European ones in my view.
Train Spotter
Member
Went to Prague over Christmas last year thanks to the Premier League rearranging our fixtures! Markets open even on Christmas Day.I'm off to Prague with the family in early December, surely Christmas markets on the agenda! I just have to lose 7Ibs in November first ... really bad timing, all hard work down the drain I guess
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Gazwag
5 millionth post poster
Christmas market in Bruges was very disappointing, Ghent's is far better
- Oct 17, 2008
- 14,486
I personally don’t mind them, never buy anything except a mulled wine. I haven't been to one in many years when I went Lincoln, which was quite a nice few hours wandering around but the stalls full of overpriced tat.
One thing I have noticed though, and this isn’t exclusive to Christmas Markets but “art fairs” and such in general, is the overpriced art prints (made by humans) has been replaced by overpriced art prints (generated by AI).
Speaking to older people about how they “used to be”, there was a lot more homemade genuine crafts rather than dropshipped Chinese stuff you can buy off Amazon for a fraction of the price, but this must’ve been before my time because they’ve always just been overpriced Olives, Cheese, hot food and mass-produced art and ornaments at every one I’ve been to.
One thing I have noticed though, and this isn’t exclusive to Christmas Markets but “art fairs” and such in general, is the overpriced art prints (made by humans) has been replaced by overpriced art prints (generated by AI).
Speaking to older people about how they “used to be”, there was a lot more homemade genuine crafts rather than dropshipped Chinese stuff you can buy off Amazon for a fraction of the price, but this must’ve been before my time because they’ve always just been overpriced Olives, Cheese, hot food and mass-produced art and ornaments at every one I’ve been to.
Mr Bridger
Sound of the suburbs
BrightonCottager
Well-known member
Mrs BC and I were discussing going for a long weekend to a northern European city to celebrate her birthday. Problem is, it's in the run-up to the C word. The likelihood of a C*******s market was the deciding factor for staying at home. I've now got to find somewhere 'nice' to stay.
el punal
Well-known member
Mrs.Punal and I were in Copenhagen in December a couple of years ago. We visited the Christmas market in the Tivoli Gardens which was wonderful - had a few glasses of their mulled red wine concoction which definitely warmed the cockles of your heart. The stalls actually offered decent stuff for sale unlike the ‘German’ Christmas market here in Southampton - a proverbial Poundland tat sale on a barrow.
el punal
Well-known member
This thread is North Stand Chat at its very best, reaching the top of Everest in its replies of cynicism and sarcasm. I sincerely wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Ho-f***ing-Ho! 
Fignon's Ponytail
Well-known member
Im not one for UK xmas markets at all, but Vienna was wonderful a couple of years ago. Loved it.
Balls of Steele
Member
- Oct 3, 2023
- 66
Yes same here.I'm off to Prague with the family in early December, surely Christmas markets on the agenda! I just have to lose 7Ibs in November first ... really bad timing, all hard work down the drain I guess