Hooray! It's arrived. My favourite time of year in Birmingham. The German Christmas market has arrived and opened its doors for business. Yum! I can almost taste the bratwurst, pretzels and my personal favourite - the gluhwein!
I can't wait to get down there and have a potter around the quaint "chalet style" stalls. I'm sure they will have all the usual wares on display plus a few new additions. Not only German food and drink but toys, decorations, jewellery and crafts. Don't forget that there are also some local traders in Chamberlain Square holding a Christmas Craft Fair.
The German Christmas Market has been running for 12 years. It started in 2001 with just 24 stalls and this has grown until today it has 190 stalls stretching across Centenary, Chamberlain and Victoria Square to the full length of New Street. Last year it was visited by over 4 million people. Many of the traders are from Frankfurt which has been Birmingham's twin city for 40 years.
It is the biggest Christmas market outside of Germany and we are lucky enough to have this fantastic event in our home town every year.
The atmosphere really gets you in the mood to start off the Christmas festivities. With the singing moose above one of the bars, the merry go round and the Big Wheel in Centenary Square there is plenty to be enjoyed by all of the family.
The German Christmas Market is open now from 10 am until 9 pm daily until 22nd December 2013.
I will certainly be making a visit to it soon. Hope to see you all there. Prost!
Author: Penny Higgs
