To not get the hype around the average UK Christmas market?

[Xenapo]

So I'm not a scrooge and enjoy a family Christmas, although I do think the whole thing is ridiculously commercialised.

But I've been to the Manchester Christmas market a few times over the years and just don't get the hype.

It's very crowded, overpriced, lots of stores selling very similar things, never anywhere to sit and a lot of the stuff sold there just seems like pointless tat. A friend would suggest going then we'd spend ages queuing to pay extortionate prices for small bit of novelty food to eat standing up in the cold. Could never see the appeal myself and probably won't go this year.

I know there's other markets out there so maybe some are better examples in the UK that are worth a visit.

I imagine some of the original German ones must be quite spectacular and have a lot of interesting history behind them as they started them there many hundreds of years ago.

I looked up when most of the UK ones started and looks like 90s and 00s (they didn't have them when I was little) so I guess we've tried to import it here to different UK cities with varying degrees of success.

I'd look for a more local, perhaps one-off one which has local crafters and food suppliers - rather than a big city one which runs every day for weeks. They can be charming.
But agree that both the food and goods on sale in the big ones is very samey and disappointing. Seen one, seen 'em all.

There's a big one in Lincoln that I remember being magical as a child - it was in the historic quarter by the Cathedral so had a very Dickensian feel and lots of small traders selling really unique, hand crafted gifts etc. But last time I went it was really disappointing. Lots of stalls selling cheapo Santa hats, novelty t-shirts and batteries. It felt like a car boot sale.

Have been to the ones in Berlin and they are lovely. They mostly focus on Christmas food and Christmas decorations. But the atmosphere is wonderful.

When the Manchester one first started the first 2 or 3 years were great. The stalls had decent quality offerings (I got some good things I still have). and the music and atmosphere was good. The more popular it got the worse it got, the good stalls disappeared and the tat grew, the crowds and behaviour got worse. I don't go anymore.
After work for a mulled wine with your mates at a push is all its good for now.

Yes agree, I went to Haddon Hall last year with a friend and it was lovely, lots of stalls selling crafts made by the stall holder, a lot of them v locally.

Big queue to get there tho as it’s on the A6 with no real alternative. But I just messaged same friend to suggest going again this year :)

Agree that the Manchester one is overpriced, overhyped and overcrowded.

There is the odd decent stall (shout out to the flammkuchen people in Albert Square), but they're hard to find and hard to get to through the crowds. It baffles me that people will spend £££ on a generic hot dog when their are dozens of great value independent cafes and restaurants within a five minute walk from there.

It also irritates me that they've allowed the stalls to spread over half the city. It was ok when they were just in Albert Square, but the tranche of stalls cutting through Market Street at such a busy time of year makes it hard work to visit the regular shops.

Not been to one in years.

Full of tat, over priced, crowded and just an endless line of people selling the same stuff over and over. The living embodiment of Groundhog Day.

The Manchester ones were awful last year. We were in town one Sunday and a drunken fight broke out near print works and a man in his 50s has a heart attack and died in the mayhem. It was horrendous. People blind drunk and it was so crowded. Avoid at all costs!

Not exactly a Christmas market, but they often have fairs at NT places. Have bought some lovely things at Tatton and Dunham Massey.

We used to love the Manchester markets. But last year with Albert square closed it was just too crushed. Avoid weekends. And Friday night when it's just too boozy.

@Abracadabra12345 That’s true.I guess we treat it as a mini break.
We tend to go somewhere every November/December, usually on the Eurostar, so Belgium or France for a weekend, and just take in a Christmas market while we’re there, so to speak.
Can be done quite cheaply, but yeah, it’s not the same as a day out in a nearby city.

Edinburgh Market isn't worth it I'd say, stalls all selling similar tat and a go on the ferris wheel is a tenner a head.

I would absolutely love to go one year as a mini break like you. One day maybe!

I think most of them are just an Instagram moment or something Christmassy to do to make memories or fill up the holidays. I'd love to go to a proper one abroad!

For anyone wanting a cahmge. Keep an eye on low cost airlines. You can get tickets for less money than train between Birmingham and Manchester sometimes...
And some fly out early morning and fly back in the evening.😉
£30 return plus cheap hotel for one night can workout well. Like you can get a room in Frankfurt near centre for about £50 a night.

Edinburgh one is overcrowded and overpriced. We are going to the Brussels one this year at the end of November. Hope its good

Even some of the German ones are a bit shite.

The best way to enjoy them is to actually live/work in the city and you all go for a hot alcoholic drink after work every evening in the snow.

Only some of the German city markets have high quality shopping. I loved the markets in Munich but I also remember having a meltdown at DH at one because it was freezing cold and I was surrounded by tat.

@newtb Your post should have with a trigger warning for me as I was attacked once at The Dunham Massey Christmas fair by a very irate deer with massive antlers who took offence at the Christmas Decs I had just bought at said market 😂

I laugh about it now but ended up in A&E and have to have increased breast checks because of where it butted me!

Yanbu. I've only been to the Winchester one and even that was crap.
I don't like hot chocolate or mulled wine and don't want personalised ornaments.

I just dont understand what they're for? Like, what do you actually do there? If they're so crowded and selling over expensive tat or unpleasant street food and mulled wine?

Not for me..

For the 'gram

Christmas markets are for the atmosphere and noce walk. Usually with quite interesting things and crafts etc.

Well not in uk🙈

I think London is the best. It offers shows you can watch with the little ones unlike some of the other smaller ones.

Sheds of shit 🎅🏻

I'm thinking of having a go at trying a smaller one, maybe less is more. Can't be doing with dragging the kids around somewhere crowded

Generally I'd agree. The only one I think is good is York, I'm sure there are others but Manchester and Birmingham are exactly what you described.