As December has arrived and the big Christmas day is gradually approaching, the city of Birmingham is filled with festive joy! Starting from mid-November to late December, the largest authentic Frankfurt Christmas Market outside of Germany or Austria is hosted at Birmingham every year. The famous event attracts locals and tourists from different cities, with over 80 delightfully decorated stalls to cater all needs.
The atmosphere of the city centre during Christmas time is absolutely stunning, with celebratory decorations being hung everywhere – and not to mention festival-themed beverages and food! At the Christmas Market itself, they serve a variety of traditional German dishes such as pretzels, bratwursts, flavoured pork scratchings, schnitzels, roasted almonds and well-known alcoholic drinks or hot chocolate. It is located in Centenary Square, Chamberlain Square, New Street and Victoria Square. Celebrating the 52nd anniversary of the partnership between Birmingham and Frankfurt, the stalls have also been extended to Snow Hill this year.
The first ever Frankfurt Christmas Market in Germany dates back to 1393, it was typically sited near churches so that Christians can stroll around the Market after worshipping. It created an opportunity for people to pause and admire the range of goods – delicate local crafts, wooden toys for children, sweets, ornaments and Christmas presents. Until the 1870s and 1880s, it was very common for parents to purchase all the gifts for their kids at the Christmas Market. Nowadays, the famed attraction is often seen as a chance to gather friends and families around to enjoy the amazing festival together, while experiencing a rather foreign atmosphere with exceptional refreshments and live music.
If you are looking for somewhere to visit during Christmas time in Birmingham, this is definitely the place to be! I have tried out some warm pretzels, juicy bratwursts (traditional German sausages) and Christmas Nutella crepes so far, they are absolutely wonderful. I even bought some uncommon holiday decorations to bring back home to show everyone as they are so unique and beautiful! A little tip before visiting would be to do simple researches on the internet about best rated German traditional dishes so you know what to aim for at the Market and relish.
Here are some pictures I took from the event this year:
