For the second year in a row many of the European Christmas Markets are either closed or curtailed. But we hope in future years we will be able to enjoy the warmth of a cold evening sipping gluhwein, savoring the … Continue reading European Christmas Markets (And some of their offspring)
Today we celebrated the 42nd Sitka counseling Christmas Bazaar. It was a clear and cold day. I don’t think I have ever had as much problem finding a parking place as I have today. That means having to walk about … Continue reading 2024 Sitka Counseling Christmas Bazaar
**Link to posts on different Christmas and Advent markets** When we lived in Central Europe and the Balkans, we were Christmas Market regulars. We have a collection of Gluhwein (glow wine) mugs to prove it. These gatherings featured hand-made crafts, … Continue reading A Virtual Tour of Europe’s Christmas Markets.
Forty years ago, we were living in Sollar’s Trailer Court. We could see a small slice of the channel from the front window of our mobile home because we were a little forward of the trailer next to us. One … Continue reading Floating Joy
The first Christmas in Sitka, in a trailer park, Suzi looked out the window and saw brightly colored boats cruising by in the channel. Over the years the boat parade has ebbed and flowed with the economy and the weather. … Continue reading Sitka Christmas Boat Parade, 2019
I have just finished my work in Jordan. I have completed my interviews and typed up my notes. I will put off writing my report until after Christmas. So now I am sitting in a hotel waiting for a taxi … Continue reading Amman’s Other Christmas Souk
Christmas Markets came late to the UK. It’s not that the UK didn’t celebrate Christmas. Since Victoria’s Albert brought the Christmas tree to England the Brits have done it up in grand style. Before Christmas markets, in the European fashion, … Continue reading Brexit Or Not, London Gets European Christmas Markets
I was all set to post today about my trip to Madaba and Nt. Nebo to look at the wonderful mosaics and take in the view of the Holy Land from the mount where Moses stood. But after I got … Continue reading A Christmas Souk in Amman
This year we didn’t make it to any of the European Christmas Markets, but Sitka has a fine Artisans’ Market in Allen Hall on the Sitka Fine Arts Campus. Sponsored by the Greater Sitka Arts Council it is a great … Continue reading Sitka Christmas Artisans’ Market, 2015
The Sitka Artisan’s Market & Holiday Craft Party lives in the spirit of the best European Christmas Markets. Allen Hall, on the Sheldon Jackson Campus, has historically been a meeting place for Sitkans. Over the last few years Sitkans volunteered … Continue reading Sitka Artisans’ Market
The Lille Christmas Market is the first one I have attended in France. Lille bills itself as the most Flemish town in France. It’s thoroughly French in language but the architecture is more Flemish-Dutch. It is the heart of French Flanders … Continue reading Lille, France Christmas Market
Hasselt “Winterland” Market is, perhaps the most commercial Christmas market we have encountered in Europe. It reminds me of the tables under the grandstand at the Minnesota State Fair. There was a collection of kitchen wares, knives, trinkets, I half … Continue reading Hasselt Winterland, 2014
The last time I was at the Brugge (Bruges) Christmas fair, in 2007, it was a short visit. It was raining and cold. The skating rink in the middle of the main town square was more slush than ice and, … Continue reading Brugge (Bruges) Christmas Market, 2014
Christmas Markets started in Central Europe, Austria and Southern Germany, and have moved up and down the Danube and spread out from that waterway across the continent. London has always had great Christmas decorations and shopping, but the European style … Continue reading Covent Garden, London, 2014
Valkenburg is perhaps the most unique, and possibly the most interesting, Christmas Market in Europe. I have been back to this market in The Netherlands three times now. The first two times with our friends Dave and Carol Lam. (The … Continue reading Valkenburg Christmas Market, 2014
For years Sitka had a boat parade. Several years ago, after the mill closed, the boat parade ended. It is expensive to run boats up and down the channel while powering lights with a generator. The boat parade was replaced … Continue reading 2013 Christmas in Sitka, including the return of the Boat Parade!
St. Paul Minnesota’s Summit Avenue runs from St. Paul Cathedral, towering above downtown St. Paul for about five miles, to St. Paul Seminary on the Mississippi River. Along the street you can visit The College of St. Thomas, Macalester College, … Continue reading Christmas on the Street of Dreams
The holiday season has come to Sitka. The city’s decorations went up just before Thanksgiving (allowing the electrical crews to have some time off on Friday). I did the Good Day Radio Show on Thanksgiving Morning and enjoyed seeing the … Continue reading Sitka’s Holiday Market, 2013.
Yerevan, Armenia does not have an official market but the regular street markets take on a festive air at Christmas time. Here are some pictures from 2006. I love the fur hats and Santa selling luxury automobiles. We almost … Continue reading Yerevan, Armenia
In 2010 Suzi lived in Cairo and while she flew up to Budapest to join me at that Christmas Market, she attended the Cairo Christmas Market. Here are comments from her family letter. 12/3/2010 I was wrong when I … Continue reading Christmas in Cairo
This is from a letter written in 1997. Suzi and I were living in Bratislava, Slovakia. And while it was only 65 KM (40 miles) from Bratislava to Vienna there was a real difference between former communist Slovakia and EU … Continue reading Vienna Christkindl Market
In 2012 I got to three of Salzburg’s 5 markets, the Chriskindel Market in the main square, the Mirabellplatz Christmas market and the Schloss Hellbrunn Advent Market on the grounds of a palace where the Gazebo from the movie Sound … Continue reading Schloss Hellbrunn Advent Market, Salzburg, Austria.
In 2012 I got to three of Salzburg’s 5 markets on the high speed Rain Jet train from Munich. The ones I visited were the Chriskindel Market in the main square, the Mirabellplatz Christmas market and the Schloss Hellbrunn Advent … Continue reading Maribellplatz Advent Market, Salzburg, Austria
In 2012 I got to three of Salzburg’s 5 markets, the Chriskindel Market in the main square, the Mirabellplatz Christmas market and the Schloss Hellbrunn Advent Market on the grounds of a palace where the Gazebo from the movie Sound … Continue reading Salzburg Christkindlmarkt, Austria