To think that most christmas markets are having us over

We are going to London this week to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. I’m intrigued to see the Christmas markets, haven’t been to any since the early days of winter wonderland which we thought was a load of overpriced crap!

I hate crowds, eating outside in the cold and won’t eat standing up so I imagine we will have a 5 minute wander round before declaring it shit!

Has anyone posted a link yet to the Classics thread about running a xmas market in your back garden? I think of it every year at this time.

I can think of nothing less Christmasy than a Christmas Market.

They are all identical with those naff little wooden huts selling Temu crap or food for 4x the price it would cost you at any other time of the year.

I don't think you are 'supporting local' by using the Xmas market. None of those stalls are people that have local shops or businesses I don't think? Most of its just Temu shite tarted up or yeah, overpriced substandard food trucks.
I think they used to be better about 30 years ago.

YANBU. I must be the only person who has been to Christmas markets in Germany and Austria as well as the UK and never bought so much as a bean.

It’s all tat.

I think UK Christmas markets need a complete overhaul to be honest.

It seems like they're run by a select few organisations, and they're really shite.

We did Nottingham christmas market a few years ago, and DS really loved the rides, but there was nothing worth buying from any of the stalls.

Our town has a new and improved Christmas market or so they say, but I've not heard one good thing about it, it's just more congestion in the centre.

I'd love it if the stalls were actual hand made crafts from local small businesses and artists. It all seems to be the same rubbish sold at different markets though.

The one near me they charge between £400- £800 plus VAT per day for a stall!

I came away with some delicious cider but it was £14 a bottle due to the apples being washed with unicorn tears or something. I love the market but it's mostly the same stalls every year, most of it is genuinely artisan stuff but it's SO expensive.

Ugh, I'm literally so sick of rip off Britain.

I feel like we're just treated like complete mugs, and I'd rather poke out my own eyeballs than pay some of the prices I see.

It doesn't help that I haven't had a payrise for 5 years, and am paid less as well. This isn't a grumble as such, because I'm just glad to have a job, my health, my family.

But the shops I've been in this year have been profoundly depressing. It feels like every year things look more threadbare and cheaply made. 😬

I feel like 10 or 15 or even 20 years ago, you'd see decent stuff for sale. Now most stuff for sale is simply tat.

Not a specifically Christmas market but I visited Stratford upon Avon last month and was delighted with both the Saturday and Sunday markets… both very different but I actually bought some Christmas presents which I’ve never done from an actual Christmas market!

Totally agree. But you missed expensive in front of tat.

I did, once, go to the Ideal Home event at Olympia which was amazing. I bought a 6inch square Christmas cake which was so exquisite that nothing in a shed will ever hood to compare.

The "experience" of eating £15 loaded fries standing between a noisy generator and an overflowing commercial bin, in driving rain? Not one I'll repeat, thanks.

Not going to the Birmingham one again, so blumming expensive and so many stalls selling booze. Not useful if you don't drink. I got something to eat and drink from a little shop nearby.
Well if I happen to need to go to Brum for something else I'd have a esnder round but I'd never go just for the market
Now the one at Ely cathedral I'd go again. Have been a couple of times, the food was reasonably priced, and there were a lot of stalls with makers selling their stuff, not all there were some selling bought in stuff, but I've got a fair few lovely pressies from there

We went to Chester yesterday and it wasn't bad at all. Most stalls were selling locally made goods. Cardiff is similar if you avoid the sausage and beer stalls .

On the other hand Manchester and Bristol are fill of overpriced tat.

Yes, the one I went to this weekend was the same. A lot of Temu stuff, 3D printed crap, and bags/coasters with AI generated art on. All cheap to knock out and sell for some profit.
I did buy a lovely little crocheted plant as a gift for someone. I do love the proper handmade things you can get at such events but they are far and few between now.

We've just been to Hamburg for their Xmas markets, fantastic bratwursts and gluhw fir the half the price of UK markets.

Like an old colleague of mine used to say Christmas is just an excuse to waste money

Its just a massive rip off, trying to make us feel we are in a lovely snow dappled German style market, rather than depressing, crap filled smelly British town.
People who should know better are being seduced into buying ridiculously overpriced crap and thinking they are enjoying themselves.
No thanks 🤣

3 Marsh mallows on a stick which you toast yourself. £6. (Belfast)

Bath is only worth visiting in the rain when others have bypassed, it’s crazy busy. We have to be in the centre and nightmare traffic then so busy to walk

I went to a Christmas market last year and couldn’t believe how much tat from Temu was being sold for ridiculous prices

We used to have a fantastic one near us. It was in a village and took place in a farmer's fields. Different and interesting food such as a local cheese maker who had lots of cheese out to try and had partnered with a local woman who made chutneys and pickles. There was a great paella stall where you could get a huge portion for £4, a friend from school who had converted a van and sold seasonal pies, mash and gravy for £6 a serving. Every stall was a local and talented seller who had unique USPs and interesting and exciting gift ideas. The local blacksmith did demonstrations and sold some of his things, carol singers were there most of the day. There was even a magician walking round and entertaining people.

It worked for several years, was well attended and a highlight of my festive season. I don't know what went wrong but it started to hike its prices, people flocked to it in too great a number and local residents complained about roads being gridlocked. It closed down.

Some of the local village hall ones are okay but still an alarming number of wax melt sellers and strange 3D-printed tat.

I visisted one in a large city -I was really disappointed that 90% of stalls were food and drink. Even if I'd wanted to eat al fresco in the freezing cold and rain, you can only eat once. I was hoping for handmade stuff but the few stalls that weren't food just had mass produced stuff.

We took the DC to Winter Wonderland (Hyde Park) years ago . At the time the rides were £3 child/£4 adult , you could only buy tickets at the booths , no cash .
On the plus side, queues were ok, entry was free to walk about , toilets were clean and loads of them.
We went again 2 years later (pre booked some rides ) there was a blizzard . Lots of the rides closed for safety .
We went again two years after that , it was bigger not better . Lots of dogs , it was muddy , massive queues ( over a hour ) .
So no more WW .

DH and I went to Bath a couple of years ago , it was a weekend , early Dec , we were on a coach trip ( hotel then Oxford the next day ) You couldn't park in Bath , all the car parks were full (our coach was allowed to drop off/collect )
Park&Ride queues were massive
There were some nice stalls but they were £ . Food stalls queues .
I got the feeling the shops wanted it over and done with to get their High Street back !

Amsterdam and Bruges , the markets were nice , yes they were £ . Food seemed more authentic but maybe that was the atmosphere ? DD and DH went on the high swing on the ADAM loookout

Edinburgh last week , you have to get in the far side of the park and walk round . Some nice stalls , the rides , ( Starflyer the one DH and DD went on was £13.50 /person ) . We didn't go for the Christmas Market , it was something DH saw online and fancied going

I am now Christmas Market-ed Out .
We are going to London next week , there is the SouthBank and Leicester Square but I'm not going unless we happen to wander there ,

Totally. We should boycott. The greed from a lot of businesses now is laughable. All with the excuse of ' oh our overheads have gone up'. Vote with your feet people !!!

I agree they are absolutely a total rip.off. We went through one a couple of years back. We stopped and paid £6.50 each for an authentic german bratwurst. My partner stood aside from the queue and saw them open a pack of Aldi bratwurst (which at the time were £1.85 for 6). Robbing bstds .