Christmas Markets in the U.K.- are they all cr@p?

Have never been to one, so can’t comment really.

Not a fan of Christmas, well, the commercial side of it.

We go on coach tours, but the ‘Turkey and Tinsel’ ones- never.

Having said that, I’m sure some of the Continental ones ( the markets) must be worth a look.

I went to one last week at the Piece Hall in Halifax. No “tat”, good food and lots of lovely stalls, selling some good quality and original items. I’m already looking forward to going back next year!

The last Christmas Market DH and I went to was years ago in Lincoln. It was a nightmare. So many people crowded into a relatively small space around the cathedral. And in the intervening years it became worse. I believe they have stopped holding it as it was deemed to be unsafe. The only German Christmas market we ever went to was in Heidelberg, where we were staying with friends, and that was lovely. Great street food and some lovely craft items.

We go to a one at beamish hall and it’s usually good. Going this Sunday.

We go to the market at Chatsworth house. It’s really a lovely day out in a marvellous setting. No tat or smelly burger stalls there. We look forward to it every year.

I have been to one this year in a local(ish) garden centre no plastic tat , beautiful decorations, local produce to take home along with tasty food and drink.

Going into London tomorrow to see what Covent Garden has to offer.

Have been to many Christmas markets in Germany, Sweden and Spain never been disappointed.

I love Christmas

I've been to the ones in Birmingham, Belfast and Berlin. Have to say the ones in Berlin are magical but I still go to Belfast each year, it's never that wonderful but I like to go just as it's getting dark and the lights are on

I went to the one at York last year, it was lovely. Perhaps because York is such a beautiful city to wander round as well.
Harris27 we stayed at Beamish Hall this summer, such a beautiful house. I did wonder what their winter festival would be like, I hope you enjoy it.

GrannyGravy13

I have been to one this year in a local(ish) garden centre no plastic tat , beautiful decorations, local produce to take home along with tasty food and drink.

Going into London tomorrow to see what Covent Garden has to offer.

Have been to many Christmas markets in Germany, Sweden and Spain never been disappointed.

I love Christmas

I too love the German Christmas markets,the traditional gifts on sale, the lovely carved religious items, the smells of gluhwein, bratwurst, apfelkuchen, .The atmosphere is amazing. People having a good time, amazing how my German improves with Gluhwein and the addition of a drop of rum, love my visits there and on my list for next year.

They used to be really good round here but now they are full of Chinese tat that you can buy yourself online. Not many genuine hand crafts round anymore.

I always think Christmas fairs are better than the markets, because there are always more handmade items on offer, often by local makers. I can recommend Aberglasney Gardens fair, which is just one weekend but is wonderful, with choirs, gorgeous gardens, and lots of Welsh food, drink and crafts on offer.

We have one in our cathedral/university city and I walk through it every time when I go shopping. It's obviously quieter at certain times. The stall holders are a mix of Europeans, local farmers and producers of quality goods and foods. It is on the cathedral green, so you can always sit to drink your Glühwein and try some continental cuisine. It has a very pleasant vibe, I enjoy it.
I recently did the Christmas markets in Vienna. They were good too, I think Vienna has the most Christmas markets anywhere, so you can visit 6 or 7 during a stay. To be honest, once you've done 3 or 4 there, you start to realise that it is exactly the same stuff in every market.

£5 for a hot chocolate? Bargain! I was speaking to someone yesterday who went to the Edinburgh one and she said it was £10 for hot chocolate and £15 for a burger! Although I live just outside Edinburgh, I tend to avoid the city centre at the best of times, but when the Christmas markets are on, I avoid it like the plague - way too busy for my liking.

I have been to a few in the northwest they have been hit and miss. Let's face it tat is everywhere some places charge more than others for the same stuff.
It's the same as food festivals and fairs some so called famous ones have been a total waste of time.
It depends on the location I suppose and ease of transport to and from. Parking is the main concern for me car parks are often not sufficient.

We went to Winchester Christmas Fair last year. It was lovely.

I have been to Cologne Christmas markets. Each one identical and as far as I can see, while German Christmas markets are pretty. Almost every stall in every market is selling exactly the same range of Christmas goods.

Nicest Christmas Fair I have been to was in a village hall in France close to where we used to have a home.

Fully agree MissInterpreted. Avoid Edinburgh Christmas market!

I quite like to walk around an annual Christmas market near me but I generally don’t buy much. I think the last thing I got from there was last year and it was nice charity cards for a local charity. Mostly though the things for sale aren’t that great and I am trying to cut down on what I buy in any case. I have too much in the house as it is and am watching the pennies. I do like stall with home made cakes though.

vegansrock ‘fifty sheds of shite’ cracked me up!🤣🤣🤣

Grandmadinosaur

We go to the market at Chatsworth house. It’s really a lovely day out in a marvellous setting. No tat or smelly burger stalls there. We look forward to it every year.

I went once. You had to take out a small bank loan to afford anything.

The first one I ever went to was in Birmingham. I got so excited and went around buying all sorts of stuff, which when I got home and saw in the cold light of day, was indeed just mass produced tat made to illicit money from gullible people.

The best one I attended was in a small mountain village in Austria- I still have the mug my gluhwein was served in. It was snowy and they only served food.

Please don't call them Christmas markets either- they are Advent markets and are still called such in many parts of Europe.

Please don't call them Christmas markets either they are Advent markets and are still called such in many parts of Europe
Strange? Sie heißen Weihachtsmärkte in Wien et marchés de Noël en France. All the ones I've visited anway, and on French and German Town I checked websites too.

I like a Christmas Markets see a few, but most years at the end of Nov, we go back to see family in Edinburgh. The Christmas Market in Princes St is always on, it was always fun to visit. Over the last few years this market has got smaller, especially since Covid it's significantly more expensive with a poor select of stalls, plus so busy, with people not really buying much.
They now have off shoot areas off the Street that have smaller little markets that are much better.
This year off to Berlin for a long weekend and see what those are like.

There’s always a very busy and festive-looking one right outside the town centre church. On my way in last Saturday evening for a concert I treated myself to a mulled wine, which did seem a bit ££ at £5.90, but at least it was reasonably good. Lots of food stalls, lots of people eating and drinking. I didn’t look at any of the non food/drink stalls, but TBH it did all look very Christmassy and jolly. .

We are going to the Burleigh one next Friday as it was pretty good last year if freezing cold as its in the open and on a hill.

I havent been to the Bath one for years but did buy my Russian dolls from there the last time I went.
Perhaps that was in the days before the markets got filled with tat.
Mulled cider too!