Season's Greetings

Every year, in countries around the world, sections of cities are transformed into dreamy yuletide celebrations that make visitors feel as if they really are in the North Pole.

Christmas markets are the one place where people can experience everything they love about the holiday: the trees, the lights, Christmas carols and cookies, ice skating, Santa Claus, dancers and singers. Even puppets and reindeer come together beneath a wintry sky of stars.

We picked a few spots where this special seasonal shopping tradition is not to be missed.

Striezelmarkt,

Dresden, Germany

While it’s true there are thousands of Christmas markets in Germany, the city of Dresden is considered to have one of the best.

Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony, is known for its magical Christmas mile where one festive market spills into another. Among those is the Striezelmarkt, the oldest Christmas market in the world. Dating back to the 14th century, visitors say that being there is like being in a fairytale.

You’re surrounded by flocked Christmas trees and thousands of twinkling lights as you meander through a maze of vendors selling everything from medieval tools to nutcrackers in wooden stalls.

This market is also home to the largest Christmas pyramid in the world, as well as a wooden arch decorated with candles and figurines. They’re all hand carved and created solely for this festival, reminding the more than three million people who visit annually that this is a very special place.

And if you find the crowds to be too much, reviewers suggest heading to the Elbe River, where you can sip mulled wine by wood-burning stoves.

Piccadilly Gardens,

Manchester, England

The United Kingdom also has its share of Christmas markets to offer, but the one in Manchester is perhaps the best known because it was the first Christmas market in the UK.

It made its debut in 1999 and has since grown exponentially, as an estimated nine million people attend every year. Sections of Manchester are transformed into a storybook pine forest, where cabins form villages and Christmas lights sparkle among the brush, making one feel like they’re on a holiday movie set.

The organizers use other cities for inspiration when creating this market. The cabins are based off of Colorado-style cabins and the vendor stalls resemble huts straight from Bavaria.

This market includes a village where most everything is made of ice. There’s an ice rink, an ice bar and an ice cave with hundreds of ice sculptures inside.

It isn’t just loved for the decor and holiday spirit: the food is also a big draw. Cue in the popular Yorkshire pudding wrap, basically a fried Sunday roast — a perfect dinner on a cold, December night.

Tivoli Gardens,

Copenhagen, Denmark

Every November, Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens is transformed into what feels like a snowy fairyland. While this market is similar to the others, there is one thing that makes it different — Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park. So, while you’re shopping for gifts and munching on gingerbread, you can also take a ride on a roller coaster or relax on the carousel donned in holiday lights.

This Christmas market, which runs through December, is so enchanting, that even Walt Disney used it as inspiration when designing Disneyland in California.

And Danish author Hans Christian Anderson felt so moved by the beauty of the market that it encouraged him to write the fairytale “The Nightingale,” considered one of his best works.

Vörösmarty Square and Saint Stephens Basilica,

Budapest, Hungary

St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest, Hungary is perhaps one of the most fitting scenes for a winter holiday market. Here, you can skate on an ice rink, admire the church’s stunning architecture or watch animated films projected on St. Stephen’s facade.

The Christmas markets in Budapest are known for artisans and their handmade gifts like sheepskin coats and necklaces made of cow bones. The rules to participate as a vendor here are strict, as they’re interviewed multiple times beforehand to ensure that their goods are authentic and not made in China.

Children may not be up for shopping, but the little ones like to visit the market so they can admire the Cafe Gerbeaud, a building that is transformed into a gigantic advent calendar. A window is open every day in December, signifying the number of days until Christmas. Each window opening includes a light show and holiday music, as well as a crowd of giggling children eager for Santa to come.

Rathausplatz,

Vienna, Austria

Imagine munching on roasted chesnuts while walking through a labyrinth of Christmas lights that leads to a nativity scene, a Ferris wheel and a Christmas tree adorned in ornaments.

Vienna has 14 markets with 821 stands, but the most popular one is Rathausplatz, on Vienna’s Square in front of the town hall. This market dates back to the 18th century and is home to the famous tree of glowing hearts.

Rathausplatz looks as if it’s straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie. There are horse-drawn carriages and an ice-skating rink, as well as a giant Christmas tree in the middle of the square, where guests can’t help but admire its two thousand lights. The fir is donated by a different Austrian province each year as a sign of good will.

The Christkindlmarket,

Chicago, Illinois

While it’s true that Christmas markets started out as a European thing, cities in the United States are following suit. Chicago is making a name for itself as a city to visit if you’re looking for a holiday market as authentic as any market in Germany.

The Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza features the Lantern Parade, a German tradition that includes giving children lanterns so they can walk in unison through the market and sing Christmas songs. The parade is led by the Christkind, a fairy-like character popular in Europe that is donned in gold and white.

The festival also highlights the Stammtisch, a German name for an informal gathering of friends and family around a large table. You can make reservations for groups of eight to sit at these special tables and munch on German food like bratwurst, potato pancakes and strudel.

If you’d rather not sit down for a formal dinner, you could wander through this Bavarian village with a mug of hot chocolate and admire the more than 50 vendors who make the market their home for the month.

This particular Christmas market started in 1996 and focuses on supporting businesses and artisans from Illinois. You can shop for anything from cuckoo clocks to steins, and enjoy traditional German dancing, music and theater. 

Some Christmas markets are located in places you’d least expect.

Below are a few of our favorites.

Santiago, Chile

It’s summertime in Chile right now, which means the holiday season is a little different here than in many other places. Children are on their summer break so sunshine and warmth accompanies those who shop at these small, quaint markets. In Santiago, a Christmas market in the Praza da Quintana is considered the largest with more than 50 vendors.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong’s Statue Square, Christmas trees draped in lights are admired by couples who travel there to take part in an annual tradition. They fasten locks, affectionately called love locks, to railings on a wall. This winter festival also includes musical performances, a laser light show and of course, Santa Claus.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Though December in Dubai has temperatures warmer than Florida, that doesn’t mean you can’t play in the snow. Indoor snow slides, an ice rink and even ice sculptures can get most anyone in the Christmas spirit. This market also includes live entertainment, shopping and plenty of holiday cuisine.

The Dickens Fair, San Francisco, Calif

The Cow Palace in San Francisco is transformed into Victorian-era London, as more than 700 players in authentic Victorian garb mingle with fairgoers. You can brush shoulders with Tiny Tim, Her Majesty Queen Victoria and even Ebenezer Scrooge. Entertaining literature and history lovers for more than 50 years, this fair includes lamp-lit shops, pubs and theatrical performances.

The Grand Market, Jamaica

Christmas in Jamaica is like a big block party with music, food and shopping. The Grand Market is held in cities all over the country, but the one in Kingston is the most popular. The markets are only open on Dec. 24 and they don’t close until Christmas morning. Families — even children — spend all of Christmas Eve enjoying the market and then attend a holiday church service the next morning.