Christmas Markets

[Just Some Guy]

A little later today I'm off to Christmas by the Sea in Blackpool. It's the usual conglomeration of plastic ice rink, slides, high flying rides, German sausages, sweet treats, games & gifts of varying qualities. You know the thing. I'm really just going there in order to have a walk and treat myself and Just Some Girl to a hotdog.

Being in Blackpool, it's quite small. We've just got back from a weekend in Nottingham and the fair there was quite impressive in comparison. Neither as impressive as the markets in Salzburg that we visited five or six years ago.

But....the sausage stall offered a Krakauer (a smokey sausage) with cheese. Sounded nice. Ordered one. I expected a normal dog with cheese sprinkled on the top.

Nope, the cheese is in the sausage. At high temperature. Under pressure. I bit into it and was the recipient of a volcanically hot cheese bukkake. Very painful. Would not recommend.

So, do you love or hate a Christmas market? Home or abroad? Any favourites? Love Gluhwien? 

[Ro_y Disco]

Love a käsekrainer! But I guess it could be a nasty surprise if you're not expecting the cheesy goo to gush out.

I guess we have a good market here in Sheffield. Don't really fancy spending £12 for a giant Yorkshire pudding wrap (made from a supermarket frozen pudding), but the bars are decent and the prices are reasonable at £6 a pint.

Went to Vienna last year and the ones there are another level, of course. Each market has their own gluhwein mug and sampling all the different drinks on offer was great! Mulled apple, mulled berry and the surprise hit of white gluhwein.

[Devon Malcolm]

 

[Carbomb]

39 minutes ago, Just Some Guy said:

a volcanically hot cheese bukkake

It's awful that you've experienced that kind of pain, and you have my sympathy, but I'm sorry - that phrase has just killed me. I am typing this while constantly giggling.

I mean, you should know by now that I'm not a good person.

[FLips]

Went to the York Christmas Market and it was shit.

Grossly busy, every stall sells either wooden decoration, gin or brownies. Stressful.

[SuperBacon]

Walking through the one in Winchester on Saturday was one of the worst experiences of my life.

They're absolutely shit.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

Lincoln Christmas Market has been cancelled because of overcrowding and the cost of running it and the locals are in uproar. All the shops around the uphill area are livid because they made a lot of money selling tat to tourists. 

[Jazzy G]

I used to love the markets in Manchester until they started doing Albert Square up and stuck a load of stalls on Market Street. It would be so busy, and I'd have to pass through on my way to/from work. Horrible experience. 

I like the Dutch cheese man stall, and would always pronounce it as Dutch Cheeseman as though he was some American newsreader or something. 

Those swirly dangly wind-chime things were very distracting as well. 

[WyattSheepMask]

My Instagram feed has been flooded with videos of food bloggers visiting food markets and going on about what they’ve had and spent.

Some of them get into triple figures and all they’ll have to show for it is a severe case of the shits the following day. They’re always absolute twats as well

[RIDDUM_N_STYLE]

Haven’t had a chance to do the Liverpool one yet, might do so at the weekend, but it hasn’t had the same feel since it moved to the plateau in front of St George’s Hall and around into St John’s Gardens compared to when the stalls would be in Williamson Square and line up from Church Street to Lord Street

[TheScarlettChad]

The Belfast one had a AI Santa on its sign. And there's a lad selling dodgy copyrighted "drawings". 

Load of shite. 

[air_raid]

10 hours ago, Jazzy G said:

I used to love the markets in Manchester until they started doing Albert Square up and stuck a load of stalls on Market Street.

All my best memories are of going to the ones at Albert Square in front of Town Hall and the big Santa. It’s been disturbingly busy every year since lockdown and I can’t cope with it. Plus Mrs raid won’t pay the prices, convinced they didn’t used to gouge as hard as they do today.

[SaitoRyo]

They're quite nice here in this area of the Czech Republic, as long as they're not too busy. I'm still good with a one-and-done, so we usually take the kids to a bigger one with more rides etc. and then check it off the list for the year. 

[Gus Mears]

The worst part of Christmas behind racist uncle John.

[Jazzy G]

1 hour ago, air_raid said:

All my best memories are of going to the ones at Albert Square in front of Town Hall and the big Santa. It’s been disturbingly busy every year since lockdown and I can’t cope with it. Plus Mrs raid won’t pay the prices, convinced they didn’t used to gouge as hard as they do today.

I used to love when they had that kaiju sized inflatable santa looming over the roof of the town hall looking as if it was poised to attack, which isn't to say I don't like the Christmas Zippy they have nowadays, but it gives the whole thing a different vibe. 

They've probably had to stick their prices up as their rent has been increased. 

Vicky and I may have a look and see what the Christmas markets are like in Carlisle when we're up there in a couple of weeks.