The Frankfurt Christmas Market opened earlier than ever this year, so how does the annual event hold up 24 years on from its inception? Reporter Emily Chaplin went to find out
The Halloween pumpkins hadn’t even been cleared from Chamberlain Square when the Christmas tunes and twinkling lights were switched on just around the corner, signalling an earlier-than-usual kick-off to Birmingham’s renowned German Market.
While some reckon it’s too early and others grumble about the cost, Brummies voice these gripes annually.
Yet, when the Frankfurt Christmas Market flung open its doors on Friday, November 1, the city centre was still teeming with folks guzzling beer from tankards and munching on half-metre-long bratwursts, unfazed by the slight price hikes since 2023. I decided to take a stroll through this year’s market to see if the yearly event has managed to keep its charm 24 years after its birth.
Do you have a unique Christmas market near you that we should check out? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
The familiar wooden huts were back, peddling the usual Yuletide treats and gifts — piping hot gluhwein, hot chocolates spiked with Baileys, pretzels sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, traditional wooden toys and adorable tree decorations. But something felt off.
Families who frequented the market last year might notice that one feature is absent from Victoria Square this time, but it wasn’t that. As I made my way around the stalls, I spotted groups of market-goers chuckling and clinking pint glasses, some already tipsy, excited children devouring toffee apples and crepes and posing for snaps with police officers. It’s the same scene every year, but I couldn’t help but grin, reports Birmingham Live.
It’s easy to overlook something when it’s delivered to your doorstep every year. I, too, have been guilty of the ‘same old’ and ‘£6.50 for a hotdog!?’ complaints.
Yet, thousands of festive enthusiasts from across the nation make the journey to our Christmas market annually, which remains the largest outside of Germany and Austria and consistently ranks among the UK’s best. Chatting with a few on opening day, it’s evident that visitors find much to appreciate about our market, even if some locals don’t.
The surge of visitors to Birmingham during November and December also provides a vital lift to local shops and eateries. Considering the recent and quite devastating hits to the city’s food and drink scene, I’d argue we need this boost now more than ever.
After a challenging year for many Brummies, financially and otherwise, and with severe funding cuts announced this year threatening some of our other cultural treasures, the German Market remains a reassuring constant in our lives. Most of us have been there, done that, and collected the novelty mugs, it’s true, but in a time when so much feels unstable, uncertain, and unpredictable, I was comforted to see our old mate Chris Moose’s friendly face, hear the buzz of Christmas tunes in Victoria Square (yes, even in November), and catch the familiar scent of sausages sizzling on New Street.
The market may not have seen much transformation since the previous year, but my perspective towards it has definitely shifted. I succumbed to temptation and treated myself to some cheesy garlic bread, which, for the record, is as delicious as ever. If an hour at the German Market can instil a festive spirit in this Scrooge, then there’s certainly still a touch of Christmas magic at play.
If you are planning a Christmas market trip this year but aren’t close to Birmingham – or fancy visiting a different one – then our full list of the country’s top markets is well worth checking out.
