
In December, when I can, I like to spend my lunch time wandering through the Christkindl Market outside city hall. I’ll get a grilled cheese pretzel and hot chocolate in a ceramic boot and window shop my way around the square. Sometimes there is live music and a real festive atmosphere, but sometimes, it’s just me and a handful of other office folk coming out to spend their lunch time. The beer garden in the middle of the square is a happening place for the after work crowd, so I like to take my time at lunch. The Salvation Army tuba player plays Silent Night and a good time is had by all.
I think a lot of people write it off some cliché gimmick—like the city orchestrated some pop-up holiday market to draw in tourists, which, let’s be honest–is partially true, but they don’t realize that this is the real deal. Most of the merchants live, work and create their goods in Europe, then fly in to Chicago for one month each year, then return home on Christmas Eve. Having been lucky enough to live in Switzerland for several years, by my estimation, Chicago’s market could hold its own against any Christkindl market in Europe. Ok, maybe not any market in Europe, but it’s as close as you will find outside of Germany.
Not a bad way to spend your lunchtime 🙂
I HAD NO IDEA Chicago did this. We’ve been so many times to Chicago (we live in St. Louis), even once for New Year’s Eve, but never in December. My husband owes me for a very awful birthday which I just had last week, and now I know exactly what will make up for it next year!!!!
Stupendous! Of course you wander around carrying a ceramic boot – you are The Peaches!
Oh… they even sell the “Lebkuchenherzen” in german…! That’s as funny as it is strange (being german ^^)
But… I just had to laugh really hard while reading “für meinen tiger ” (for my tiger) because I watched the last Almodovar film a few days ago!
I would LOVE to go the Chicago Christkindlmarkt. I should really try to get down there one of these years. Thanks for the gorgeous pictures!
Love the hedgehog!! Do they have any nutcrackers? We have about 15 from Southern Germany. I never understood the pickle. Do you?
Hedgehogs! As for the comment by anngwilson–nutcrackers freak the hell outta me!
–Jaclyn T
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We hid the pickle on our Christmas tree and the person who finds the pickle on Christmas day gets to open the first gift.
We do the pickle here – kind of like the snowflake that people do or the birdsnest…. did the pickle originate in Pgh (Heinz Co)? I think so….