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CHRISTMASMARKETS IN THE UK
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The smell of gingerbread, mulled wine and sausages will be in the air when the German Christmas market in Leeds is opening its doors on 8th of November. But what’s their history? The custom of hosting markets right before the hardest time of winter originated in the 14th century. It was a possibility to stock up on meat, vegetables, and other groceries. Not late after that the merchants star ted to not only sell groceries but also warm dishes and drinks and the market became a place to chat with neighbours. Today we don’t need the markets to get our last shot on meat and vegetables anymore but they’re still a great way to meet up and have a good time, maybe buy some last-minute Christmas gifts and enjoy the amazing food. The history of traditional German markets in the UK is quite young. The first German market was hosted in 1982 in Lincoln with only 11 stalls. Since then it grew to about 250 stalls. Today there are about 220 different Christmas markets in the UK. They range from the big ones in London, Oxford and Bath to smaller ones. If you want to check out some Christmas markets try one of these: Christkindelmarket Leeds, Millennium Square Christmas Market Lincoln, Inner City St. Nicholas Fayre York, Parliament Street Christmas Market Bath, Roman Baths / Abbey Christmas Market Oxford, Broad Street Christmas Market Manchester, Inner City
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BY NATALIE LITZL 3