In recent years the European-style or European themed Christmas market has seen a massive surge in popularity throughout North America. As soon as December arrives, Christmas markets pop up throughout a host of American cities selling German-inspired bratwurst, mulled wine, and of course sweets, Austrian and Belgian chocolates, and a host of wooden handicrafts similar to those you would find across festive markets in Europe’s chicest cities. The Christmas market concept originated in Germany (where they are called Christkindlmarkt) in the 14^th Century when the very first Christmas market as we understand it was held in Dresdner, and this time honored tradition quickly spread throughout Europe before making its way across the Atlantic in more recent times and being taken into the hearts of the American general public.

A Modern American Tradition

Christmas markets have seen a monumental rise in popularity as a way to combine food with music and entertainment, and a great place for people to meet and get together in an informal environment over the holiday season. One of the first cities to embrace the European Christmas market concept was Chicago, which is now celebrating its nineteenth annual Christkindlmarkt and more and more American cities are following suit. It is expected that there will be at least 100 Christmas market style gatherings and celebrations across the country this year and the concept is one that is still continuing to rise in popularity and explode across our collective consciousness. Visit your local Christmas market and you can expect to find a wide array of delicious food stalls (ranging from imported German delicacies to locally sourced produce) and many markets also combine ice skating rinks and other forms of entertainment with their celebrations. In a society that is becoming increasingly disillusioned with the corporate commercialization of Christmas and the constant push from large retailers to buy meaningless and expensive holiday gifts, the idea of doing your Christmas shopping within a more intimate environment where the gifts on offer have been handcrafted with love is an increasingly appealing one. This no doubt explains why the retail side of the European Christmas market experience is one that is so popular in Northern America right now.

The Traditional German Christmas Market                         

Of course, whilst they are created in homage to the authentic Christmas markets you would find across Europe (and particularly in Northern Europe), the markets you will visit in America and Canada are very different from the authentic markets you will find in Europe, particularly in Germany. North American Christmas markets tend to have a more modern carnival atmosphere and they struggle to capture some of the more traditional and unique elements of the German market experience. Each German market focuses on its own regional traditions and specialties (such as the the Christkind - or Christ Child who opens the market in Nuremberg by reciting poetry or the Dresden traditional of baking the city’s largest fruit loaf whilst the market is taking place). These unique aspects of the traditional German Christmas market are difficult to capture and translate simply for a wider audience living outside of Germany. Around 1500 Christmas markets take place in Germany every year. These vary wildly in size and in visitor numbers, with the largest attracting tourists from all over the world travelling great distances to indulge in the fun of the Christmas market shopping and atmosphere, and the smallest simply acting as a place for local villagers to gather and meet whilst sharing in the festive spirit. There are a similar number of markets taking place in Belgium and the Netherlands too, and each of these markets will also have its own traditions in place. These is no more magical or festive time to visit Europe than in December when each city twinkles with the lights of their holiday decorations and Christmas markets take place all around you. Why not use your next international vacation to compare your local Christmas market to the real thing? You certainly won’t be disappointed.

Trying to find the perfect gift for everybody can be really hard. Especially since you’re a really busy person and you’re looking to buy wonderful stocking stuffers but at the same time you don’t want to break your bank. Why not do all your shopping at one place at the Vancouver Christmas Market. Here’s Candy Meister’s top 5 suggestions for stocking stuffers that are under $10 that will bring a smile to people’s faces.

1) Candy Meister Candy

Let’s be honest you saw this coming . Candy Meister candy is the perfect gift to give to anybody during the holidays, with a wide variety of flavours ranging from adventurous herbal candy like fennel, to traditional German candy like mulled wine, these delectable treats are a sure way to go to warm the heart of any person.

But of course we don’t just have those flavours, we’ve got NEW wonderful candy flavours available at the Vancouver Christmas Market, like apple, cherry, and honey sage. Best of all, the majority of candies we have are gluten free.

A friend of mine really loves the mulled wine candy, so she called me up the other day and told me to send one to her. And I’m sending off that mulled wine candy this week!

What makes these the perfect stocking stuffer gifts is that they’re small enough to fit into any stocking, can be enjoyed by adults that like savoury or sweet candies, and can be enjoyed as fast or as slow as the gift receiver likes. I’ve heard that some people consume their bag of candy in one day. Free shipping is available to Canadian residents who order $59 worth of candy. And for our American neighbors they can get free shipping for $79. You can order online here.

So if you’ve got a large group of people to shop for, and want to treat them equally make sure you visit our site, or drop by the Vancouver Christmas Market.

2) Aseli Marshmallow Candy

A new addition to the Candy Meister’s family this year is the Aseli marshmallow gummy candy. These gluten free, dairy free, all natural German marshmallow goodies are quite different from traditional North American marshmallows.

These sweet goodies offer a chewier texture compared to North American marshmallows, without the “stick to your teeth” kind of mess. They’re available in different cute animal shapes, such as the cute mouse which are great for the kids. For those that love Christmas, we’ve also got the Santa and Christmas Tree gummy marshmallow candies available for sale the Vancouver Christmas Market.

3) Peace Soap and Shampoo Bar from Eco Fair

I’m a little biased with this because I’m a big fan of Fair Trade products as well as high quality products that have a great story to them. The Peace Soap and Shampoo Bar available at the Eco Fair trading booth is one that I feel great about buying. The soap is made with olive oil as its main ingredient. I picked up the honey bar that is made with 20% honey as a holiday gift for my own girlfriend.

4) Zotter’s Chocolate Factory

For those that would like to give chocolate for the holidays, consider dropping by Zotter’s Chocolate Factory at the Vancouver Christmas Market. With over 100 different flavours of chocolate bars being displayed with colourful works of art as their packaging. These chocolates are designed for those that truly are looking to give a delectable gift

Joseph Zotter’s Austrian chocolates are organic and Fair Trade certified. Some of their flavours include Bacon Bits in Chocolate, Pumpkin Seeds with Marzipan and Apples and Carrots with Ginger surrounded by chocolate. For those that have foodies as friends, this is a great booth to buy from. You can also drop by their booth to “Create Your Own Chocolate.”

5) Olde Tea Haus – Sonnentor Tea

Another Austrian favourite that has invaded the Vancouver Christmas Market is the Olde Tea House that carries Sonnetor Tea, one of the world’s best organic teas. With a variety of different flavours to entice and please the palate, you’re guaranteed to find a gift for any tea lover.

For those that love green tea, my personal suggestion is to check out Winter Delight. It’s the perfect combination of green tea, Christmas spices and fruits such as Ceylon cinnamon, coriander and orange pieces. Lemon grass, apple mint, blueberry and cornflowers give the tea a refreshing twist. Enjoyment guaranteed for an active winter.

BONUS:

Okay, this gift isn’t under $10 but it’s definitely worth the value. Candy Meister has now released our advent calendars. They are the best advent calendars EVER! They come in cloth bags that you can use as a decoration around your fire place or Christmas tree. Delight and your children excited as Christmas comes in less than a month. Here’s a sneak peak of what we have. Make sure you grab yours at the Vancouver Christmas Market before they’re all gone. We’ll be writing more about it in our next blog post.

To get your candy stocking stuffers for the holidays visit our website www.candy-meister.com