DC area Christmas Markets

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never been to a European Christmas market. What makes them different or better?

Serious question.
We usually go to the downtown one and have fun even if lots of the vendors don’t interest us we love to browse with cups of hot chocolate.

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I find the Christmas markets here tend to just be gussied-up craft fairs with stuff for sale that's really no different from what you'd find at a local craft fair in the middle of July. European Christmas markets are very Christmas and winter focused, and they have a ton of great food and Christmas stuff for sale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never been to a European Christmas market. What makes them different or better?

Serious question.
We usually go to the downtown one and have fun even if lots of the vendors don’t interest us we love to browse with cups of hot chocolate.

Man you're missing out. You will never go to the markets here if you've been to a. Jenna or Munich market. You will LMAO at the DC markets.

Christmas market is one that considers more than just selling stuff like these here do. It's about a cultural appreciation for Christmas complete with festivities via food, music, ambiance and decor, sights and art. It's less a flea market of art vendors with an opportunity to sell their stuff with a. Purple hot ciders and beer to buy. It's celebration as a concept v sales opportunity concept.

Now I do admit that as it is a cultural thing, they take it to an extreme and there's a lot of space dedicated for the markets. It is most definitely not just 3-4 blocks but a damn village or 2 with if space lol the size commitment would prob be hard to duplicate here but for sure the lack of charm and strong flavor of commercialism totally ruins the experience for me here.

To be fair, it's definitely something the Americans have tried to replicate - there's very little thought to actually doing it justice. It's kind of like going to the Paris bistros where you have an outdoor scene to people watch and basically enjoy a vibe v chairs on the sidewalk of a restaurant looking at cars driving by. It's a difference in appreciation of the subtle I suppose but I'm with the Europeans on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never been to a European Christmas market. What makes them different or better?

Serious question.
We usually go to the downtown one and have fun even if lots of the vendors don’t interest us we love to browse with cups of hot chocolate.

Man you're missing out. You will never go to the markets here if you've been to a. Jenna or Munich market. You will LMAO at the DC markets.

Christmas market is one that considers more than just selling stuff like these here do. It's about a cultural appreciation for Christmas complete with festivities via food, music, ambiance and decor, sights and art. It's less a flea market of art vendors with an opportunity to sell their stuff with a. Purple hot ciders and beer to buy. It's celebration as a concept v sales opportunity concept.

Now I do admit that as it is a cultural thing, they take it to an extreme and there's a lot of space dedicated for the markets. It is most definitely not just 3-4 blocks but a damn village or 2 with if space lol the size commitment would prob be hard to duplicate here but for sure the lack of charm and strong flavor of commercialism totally ruins the experience for me here.

To be fair, it's definitely something the Americans have tried to replicate - there's very little thought to actually doing it justice. It's kind of like going to the Paris bistros where you have an outdoor scene to people watch and basically enjoy a vibe v chairs on the sidewalk of a restaurant looking at cars driving by. It's a difference in appreciation of the subtle I suppose but I'm with the Europeans on this.

Sounds similar to how Americans try to emulate Asian street markets and it is and can never come close. Can’t blame them for trying to recreate the magic here though, and maybe an interesting fusion can be created.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been all over the world and I have to say that DC is the most depressing place for anything unique like museums, Christmas markets and artistically inclined.

DMV prides itself on being a diverse, educated and interesting population. But really, this city is made up of lobbyists, lawyers and fed employees/contractors. I mean how creative is this lot gonna be???!!!!!

You must go to Chicago, NYC or even Boston for anything seriously cool.

DC is depressing for museums when it has the Smithsonian? okaaaay......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks OP, but could you please try to use the more inclusion term Holiday market, instead of “christmas market?”

TIA !

A+ trolling. Would read again.

I really do not see why people are so opposed to being just a little more inclusive.

No one said you can't have a Wicken Market, or a Chanukah Market, or an Eid-el-Fitr market or a Now Ruz market. Stay in your lane and let the Christmas market be a Christmas market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks OP, but could you please try to use the more inclusion term Holiday market, instead of “christmas market?”

TIA !

Some EU ones are Yule Markets, but Christmas market sounds better and is better understood as most everything else is names Christmas this and Christmas that. Maybe not Yule log.

Yule is the Old English word for Christmas. But for the sake of inclusivity, please use Holiday Market rather than Yule Market. The people who do not speak Old English will feel excluded from the festivities.

TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP - It's not a holiday market though. It is a Christmas Market. Europeans have the traditional markets and yes, they in fact, celebrating the spirit of Christmas. Sorry, the PC term may be holiday and I do holiday cards v Christmas cards personally but in the context and spirit of these markets - it is wrong to call them holiday markets! They are what they are, it's not like they're trying to disrespect someone who doesn't believe in Christ but the reality is that these are about Christmas!!!

SERIOUSLY. People need to get a grip - “Christmas” is not a bad word! I’m not Christian btw and no one in my family is

[Anonymous]

I thought most of these called themselves "holiday craft fair" or "Christmas craft fair" or "winter craft fair" . . . not "Christmas Market". I don't think they are trying to be European markets.

[Anonymous]

^ For example, this one in Falls Church is the Holiday Gift and Craft Show.

https://www.fallschurchva.gov/643/Holiday-Gift-and-Craft-Show

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are ours crap? How does Germany do it differently that theirs are so much nicer?

FWIW I like the one in Philly but it is the same people each year so not good to do back to back years.

You know exactly why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
^ For example, this one in Falls Church is the Holiday Gift and Craft Show.

https://www.fallschurchva.gov/643/Holiday-Gift-and-Craft-Show

Yes exactly. Not sure why so many of you are struggling with just using the correct and inclusive word Holiday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never been to a European Christmas market. What makes them different or better?

Serious question.
We usually go to the downtown one and have fun even if lots of the vendors don’t interest us we love to browse with cups of hot chocolate.

European Christmas market is like a scene out of Harry Potter only with mulled cider/wine for butterbeer and the magic being in the lights and warmth instead of wands.

American Christmas markets are… not. I like the American ones well enough. I used to go to the one in grand Central in NYC and the one in Bryant Park. But even those are like Vegas’s Eiffel Tower vs the real one in Paris. You have to enjoy them for what they are.

[Anonymous]

Just go somewhere like Frederick MD during the season. Magical lights and many shops. Or if you want music, lights, and stores, go to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens. Or go to Longwood Gardens at night (very very magical and they have hot cocoa and cookies).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never been to a European Christmas market. What makes them different or better?

Serious question.
We usually go to the downtown one and have fun even if lots of the vendors don’t interest us we love to browse with cups of hot chocolate.

My question, too!! What makes the European Christmas markets so good?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks OP, but could you please try to use the more inclusion term Holiday market, instead of “christmas market?”

TIA !

A+ trolling. Would read again.

I really do not see why people are so opposed to being just a little more inclusive.

No one said you can't have a Wicken Market, or a Chanukah Market, or an Eid-el-Fitr market or a Now Ruz market. Stay in your lane and let the Christmas market be a Christmas market.

Amen!