We have spent the last few years experiencing the holidays in Europe. As we gear up for another European adventure, my daughter wanted to share her experience and ideas about visiting Christmas markets. The thoughts and opinions are her own- I simply helped with the organizing and editing.
Hi, I’m Tessa and I am 10 years old. For the past few years I’ve been visiting Christmas markets in different cities in Europe with my family. We’ve walked through lots of lights, tried a lot of treats, and seen some really cool things. There have also been some things that were a little weird or different then what I am use to.
Every Christmas market is a little different, but they all have fun things to see and do. These are some of my favorite parts, plus a few things I didn’t like as much. I will also share some of my favorite markets for kids.
- Things I Loved Most
- Best Things to Eat
- Some Weird Things
- Fun Things to Do
- My Favorite Christmas Markets
- Tips for Visiting Christmas Markets
Things I Loved Most
One of my favorite things about Christmas markets is that there’s always something fun to do, not just things to look at.
I really love the rides, especially the carousels. Some of them are really big and fancy, and some are smaller, but they are all fun. Sometimes there are other rides too, and I always want to try them if I can.
Another thing I love is all the sweet treats. There are so many different desserts, and it feels like there is something new to try at every market. Some things I like more than others, but it is always fun to pick something and see if it is good.
One of my favorite traditions is getting the Christmas market mug with warm kinderpunch. Every place has a different mug, and I like collecting them and seeing all the different designs. The kinderpunch is really good too, especially when it is cold outside. Now we even make our own at home and drink it out of our mugs, which makes it feel like a market at home.
If there is ice skating, I always want to do that. Skating in the middle of a Christmas market with all the lights around make it feel extra special, even if I’m not very good at it.
I also like seeing the different versions of Santa, like Pere Noel in France or Babbo Natale in Italy. They don’t all look the same in every place, which I thought was interesting. Some were a little different from what I expected, but it made it feel like each place had its own kind of Christmas.
Best Things to Eat
One of the best parts about Christmas markets is definitely the food.
There is a lot of different things to try, but I usually like to stick with my favorites. I really love the croissants because they were warm and soft, and the giant pretzels are really good too. They are way bigger than the ones I’ve had at home.
I also like the gingerbread and chocolates. There are so many kinds to choose from, and everything looks really pretty, especially the decorated cookies. It is always hard to pick just one thing.
My parents are a lot more adventurous than me and like trying all kinds of different foods. Sometimes I will try a bite, but most of the time I am happy with what I already know I will like.
We also like to pick out food to bring home as gifts. Usually we will find something traditional from the market, like a box of treats for family or teachers. I think that is fun because it feels like bringing a little piece of the market back with us to share.
Some Weird Things
Some things at the Christmas markets are really fun…and some things are kind of confusing.
One of the weirdest things to me is that Santa doesn’t always look or act the same in every place. In some countries, there are other characters with him that is a little surprising. Like in Austria, there was Krampus, who is kind of scary and definitely not what I expected to see at a Christmas market. And in the Czech Republic, there were characters like a devil and an angel with him, which also felt a little unusual.
It isn’t bad, just very different from what I thought Christmas would look like.
Another thing that is a little confusing is how you order food. There usually isn’t a line like there is at home. Instead, everyone kind of stands around the booth and slowly moves forward, and you have to try to get the attention of the person working there. At first, I didn’t really understand how it worked, and it felt like people were just crowding around. But after a while, it started to make more sense.
Something else that surprised me was that there weren’t always places to sit down. A lot of the markets had tall tables where you stand and eat your food. It felt a little strange at first, but then it kind of became part of the experience.
Another thing that confused me at the beginning was the mugs. Sometimes when you get a drink, you have to pay extra for the mug. Then you can decide if you want to keep it or return it. I liked keeping them because they were all different and we started collecting them, but it took me a minute to understand how it worked.
It also got really busy at night. There were lots of people and lights everywhere, and sometimes it was hard to see where we were going. But it also made everything feel really exciting and festive at the same time.
Some things didn’t feel weird after a while—they just felt different.
Fun Things to Do
Christmas markets aren’t just for looking around- there are actually a lot of fun things to do.
One of my favorite things is going on the rides, especially the carousels. They feel extra special because they are all lit up and right in the middle of the market.
I also really like when there is ice skating. Skating with all the lights and music around makes it feel more fun than a regular ice rink, even if I slip a few times.
Some markets have really cool activities, especially for kids. There are places where you can make things like candles or other crafts, which is fun because you get to do something instead of just walk around.
There is also shows sometimes, like puppet or marionette shows, which are fun to stop and watch for a little while.
One of my favorite things is finding little surprises, like decorations or displays you can interact with. Sometimes there are places to take pictures or things that moved or made noise, and it is it fun to see what is around the next corner.
One time in Paris, we went through a fun house at one of the markets, and I thought it was really fun because there were so many different things inside. Some parts were tricky, and some were just funny. My mom did not like it very much and called it the “unfun house,” which I thought made it even funnier.
My Favorite Christmas Markets
I’ve been to a lot of Christmas markets, but some of them were my favorites because they had more fun things for kids to do.
One of my favorites was the medieval market in Munich. It felt really different from the other markets because it had a lot of interesting things to look at, like toy swords and metal decorations. I especially liked the glittery dragons-they were really cool and not something I expected to see at a Christmas market.
I also really like Colmar because they had a whole area just for kids. There were more kid-focused gifts and some rides too. My favorite part was getting to ride a metal horse through the lights and displays, which made it feel really special.
In Milan, there was a Christmas village that had a lot to do. There were sweet shops, rides, and even ice skating. There was also a house where kids could visit Babbo Natale and Mrs. Claus, which made it feel really magical.
Basel was one of the best for activities. There was a whole children’s area where you could actually make things like candles and do crafts like wood burning and cookie decorating. There was also a marionette show and a little train ride, so there was always something to do.
I also liked Salzburg because it felt really pretty and fun to explore. We went to a market up by the fortress, and when we were there, they were decorating a giant Christmas tree with ornaments made by kids from a local school. I thought that was really cool because it felt like the whole city was part of it.
I liked all of the markets, but these were the ones I would want to go back to the most.
Tips for Visiting Christmas Markets
If you go to a Christmas market, here are some things I think you should know.
Try the food, but it’s okay if you don’t like everything. There are a lot of new things to try, and some are really good, but it’s also okay to stick with things you already know you like.
If you see a mug you like, you should keep it. Every place has different ones, and it’s fun to collect them. Plus, you can use them again at home.
Be ready for it to be crowded, especially at night. It can get really busy, so it helps to stay close and pay attention to where you’re going.
If there’s something fun to do, like a ride or ice skating, you should try it. Those were some of my favorite parts, and they made the markets feel more exciting.
Bring warm clothes. It gets really cold, especially at night, and it’s more fun if you’re not freezing.
Don’t worry if things feel a little confusing at first, like how to order food or where to stand. After a while, it starts to make sense.
Look around for little details. Some of the best things were the small surprises, like decorations, shows, or things hidden around the market.
I think Christmas markets are really fun, and I would definitely go to more if I could.
I think going to Christmas markets with my family is one of my favorite things we do together. There’s always something to see, to do, or to try. Even when things are a little confusing or different, that’s part of what makes them special. I have loved getting to see so many different ones, and I can’t wait to go back and see some more.
Thanks for coming along on this kid’s guide to Christmas markets in Europe! Merry Christmas!
from, Tessa
If you want to read more on some of the Christmas markets we have loved, you may be interested in these:
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