To think that most christmas markets are having us over

[sunintheeast]

Not bah humbug I love christmas but was at a nice christmas market today.. mostly food.. some makers stalls but my God the price hike.. bought two wraps which were no shred (haha) of a lie like those starters on a chinese resteraunt.. but a single wonton wrap with a teaspoon of meat and a bit of relish.. FOR £24 QUID. I stupidly paid before seeing it and then felt daft and said thankyou.. literally two bites each... the place was heaving.. is it just me??.. £7 hot chocolate anyone ?? looked around..its all gone insane. There were a couple of reindeer looking sad in a pen but it just felt like it's all gone a bit mad. I like supporting local but ,.. anyone else feel the same ??

I went to one today (an indoor one). £5 for a thimble of mulled wine. Some nice stalls, but lots of 3D printed crap and AI generated art.

Yep, and lots of shite from Temu for x10 the price.

I don't bother. It's all just tat really.

I've always been up for paying a little more for some quality food and ambience but it's ridiculous now.

Yanbu OP.

I've given up buying food at Christmas markets because of the prices. I take hot sausage rolls wrapped in foil, and travel cups of hot chocolate.

This winter I've made my own liquers, I make my own pickles, my own mince pies, even my own chocolates (gin-soaked sloes coated in milk chocolate).

I've turned into my mother. 😧

We went to Bath last week and it was really good. £6 for mulled wine (a large cup), and there waa a stall doing Nepalese momo which i love and they were 6 for £6. It seemed a lot cheaper (and better) than exeter Christmas market which we went to last year.

I wanted to go to one today but the bus didn't turn up - thank you OP for making me feel just a little less disappointed! I would also have felt sorry for the reindeer and kidnapped (fawnnapped?) them, and spent Christmas in prison.

My local “Christmas market” is £7.50 for a “luxury hot chocolate” - Lidl powder with boiling water and some marshmallows on top with a little squirt of cream

Way too expensive , I just go for a walk .

Overpriced food and low quality goods.
i like the idea of them, but feel they’re a rip off

They've always been expensive, but this year has taken the absolute cake - literally, a slice of cake for £8.50 anyone?

Stallholder fees probably went through the roof, so I don't exactly blame the vendors who will need to make a profit, but there is a limit to how much you can reasonably charge.

Usually I can make it myself, and probably nicer too. That is extortionate op!

The stall holders will be stiffed for rent. They have to make a profit somehow, they’re not a charity. You’re paying for the experience. YABU.

Yes I occasionally go to one for the atmosphere but can never bring myself to spend money - always overpriced and always the same tat you can get elsewhere cheaper

I still like the church and charity ones.. feels more worthwhile.. i had just watched my better off friend spend about £500 in half an hour.. so was a bit reeling with the excess.. what i do now is imagine the same item in a charity shop and would i still want it ! Mostly it's a no.. we had a fancy tea shop which used to repackage stuff from middle aisle at lidl.. admired their nerve !!

I've bought a fair few sausages and mugs of wine at these things, but I've never bought a single item from one of the stalls. It's all tat.

I used to goto the Manchester one every year, totally loved it, until it became sooo busy it was like herding cattle and too expensive - can't stand the place now!

Your mum had the right idea.. its having the time. I make homemade cheese biscuits every year and have started crochet!!! Next year it's homemade socks!! Kids will hate it..

I’ve only been to the Birmingham and Manchester ones - once each. I thought they were awful, actually. Didn’t enjoy them at all. Rubbish food, nasty objets.. Not for me.

Maybe you should start a stall at rhe market. 3 pack of cheese biscuits. £10.

DH and I went to Winter Wonderland about ten years ago, in those days they only took cash and I remember stopping en route and we got out about £150 between us.

After about an hour we'd managed to spend the lot! A couple of rides, a mulled wine, some type of burger thing, one or two little things off the stalls. I certainly don't remember buying anything massively expensive.

It was all a total rip off, we haven't bothered with anything similar since. Its just as nice to have a day out at a pretty market town in December, all the shops are decked out and looking lovely. Its free to go and you can have just as nice a time.

I was in York last weekend for an event unrelated to Christmas. One of our group was very excited to go to the Christmas market while we were there, which as far as I could see was very overpriced "handmade" in China type things and junk food with alcoholic drinks. £15 for a hotdog and a pint in a plastic cup.

We went to the pub and had roast dinner for less.

We have our city centre Church open during our local Christmas street Fayre. It was packed today, mainly because our lovely freshly prepared food is fantastic value and it's a place to sit for a while. We also offer stalls to charities free of charge, so that they can have the chance to raise money. We have so many people say they love the atmosphere and the chance to sit in a relaxed atmosphere. I do feel sorry for some of the traders outside who have to pay an extortionate rate.

We’ll go to our city one and pay a stupid amount for hot chocolate and some dinky donuts.. my children love it and it’s part of our annual tradition..but I wouldn’t pay for the actual tat on sale.

I look but don’t buy. I saw a woman selling a small wooden template of a Christmas tree with some Lindor chocolate on, £24