The Wonder of Christmas Markets
I have had the wonderful opportunity of visiting various Christmas markets over the festive season, two in France (although one was in the Alsace and is as near to Germany as you can get without actually being there!) and two in Scotland. It was interesting looking at the way in which different countries tackle markets and the difference in produce available. The market I visited in Glasgow was small but very popular with the locals adding a certain ambiance to the whole affair, the one in Edinburgh delightful because it is set around a park and the Christmas lights and ice rink add to the atmosphere hugely. However the produce here was nearly all imported goods. In France the fare for sale was mostly locally produced handcrafted items which I find much more interesting. Mulled wine was available at each one and of course I had to try some in each destination but was unable to set a preference! (Perhaps I should have studied harder?)
I walked past smelly cheese stalls, handcrafted chocolate stalls, hat and wooly jumper stalls and of course many jewellery stalls. I am yet to walk past any jewellery stalls however that has jewellery for sale made from beads and off loom weaving. Perhaps it is just to expensive to produce because of the time involved; competing against quickly strung beads or imported silver from India. I can’t believe that there are not the people out there making this stuff, but then again its not as if I had a stall at one of these markets – mental note to sell before the New Year starts, must try harder to ‘get out there’!
The photo shows the church at Mulhouse wonderfully lit up at their Christmas market.
