Semester is Near the End, Don’t Leave Chicago Just Yet!

 

Christmas festivities are always fun in Chicago. Christmas vibes are personally my favorite and although finals are coming up, it also means Christmas is! A lot of students at Loyola are not from Chicago, and something to definitely check out before you leave for the holidays is the 22nd Annual Christkindlmarket in Downtown Chicago! This market is inspired by the Christkindlesmarket in Nuremberg, Germany, which began in 1545. The Christkindlmarket Chicago brings a cherished German and European tradition with international flair and local charm to Chicago. Chicago’s largest open-air Christmas festival was first held on Pioneer Court in 1996. By special invitation of Mayor Richard M. Daley, Christkindlmarket Chicago moved to Daley Plaza in 1997 and has become a staple event on the plaza ever since. With the support of the City of Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Christkindlmarket Chicago has grown to become one of the most popular winter attractions for locals and tourists alike.

Each year, people from all over the world visit the Christkindlmarket. The outdoor market in the Chicago Loop has become so popular and loved by everyone that any Chicagoan will tell you that they could not imagine the city without it. The Christkindlmarket is no longer just a German tradition, it has become a Chicago institution. The unique shopping experience, typical German food and drinks, as well as diverse holiday entertainment make the Christkindlmarket Chicago a preferred and popular destination.

The best part of it, is that admission is FREE! The Christkindlemarket also has 2 other locations in addition to the one at the Daley; there is one in Naperville and at Wrigley!

There are also educational opportunities as it is the perfect event for teachers and professors of the German language to take their students. At the Christkindlmarket, students have the opportunity to practice skills at the market with numerous German speaking vendors. Several educational activities for students visiting the market include:scavenger hunts, interviews with vendors, or singing German holiday songs for all to enjoy. At the market, students get to experience authentic German traditions without having to travel any farther than the city of Chicago or Naperville. Children can become members of the Kinder Club, a program that gives them opportunities to win prizes as well as get more involved in the history and tradition of the Christkindlmarket. From Kindergardeners to graduate students the message is loud and clear: The Christkindlmarket is fun!

The market is open from November 17 – December 24, 2017 and is open daily:

Sunday – Thursday  11am – 8 pm

Friday – Saturday  11 am – 9 pm

Enjoy yhe wide range of articles include eclectic ornaments that are hand-blown and painted, and cannot be found anywhere else besides the market. Classic German products like nutcrackers, cuckoo clocks, and beer steins are always popular items with visitors, too. In addition, the vendors offer toys for all ages, jewelry, clothes, home décor, and wooden handicrafts. Some vendors even demonstrate how their handicrafts are made at the market, for example, a wood carver demonstrates his unique carving technique and visitors can purchase his creations directly from the workbench.

The most popular bits and pieces offered by the vendors are the large assortment of savory and sweet foods, drinks and candied treats. Visitors can smell the tempting aromas from the sausages, potato pancakes, Strudel, and many other delicacies throughout the market.  Glühwein, a traditional German holiday market hot spiced wine, has been perfected to please the palate and warm the heart. This beverage is so special that it comes in a souvenir cup shaped like a boot, decorated with the market’s signature logo and year. German beer that will quench any thirst also flows from the vendors’ tap. The assortment of roasted nuts, sweet cakes and pastries, or German chocolates and candied goodies are sure to leave all sweet-toothed visitors satisfied.