Chicago's 24th Annual Christkindlmarket is Now Open for the Season!
A Festive Chicago Tradition
As the Chicago days get colder, it’s become tempting to stay in my dorm room, turn up my radiator, and binge watch holiday episodes of Friends. However, to stay indoors this holiday season would be a mistake. Starting November 15th, Chicago opened its largest open-air Christmas market. And the festival is well-worth the trip North to Daley Plaza.
Inspired by Nuremberg, Germany’s famed Christkindlmarket (which began in 1545!), this year marks Chicago’s 24th Annual Christkindlmarket. The festival has grown over the years, to include a wide range of vendors from around the world—selling everything from fresh strudel, potato pancakes, and hot apple cider, to intricate Cuckoo clocks, pewter holiday ornaments, and Matryoshka dolls. Since I was little, I’ve loved attending Chicago’s Christkindlmarket with extended family and friends.
The Vendors: A Selection of My Favorites
To navigate Chicago’s Christkindlmarket with a to-do list of “must-see” vendors would be to miss the point. After all, the market is about more than completing holiday checklists. And while it’s undoubtedly a great opportunity for gift-purchasing and holiday photos, it’s also worth taking the time to enjoy the festive atmosphere; for a few hours in downtown Chicago, visitors feel as though they’ve been transported to a German fairytale. And the experience itself is worth pausing to enjoy.
Nonetheless, I left this year’s market with a few favorite vendors worth mentioning. And what follows is a description of a few standout vendors - although it is by no means exhaustive. The point is not to create a “must-see” list; rather, the point is to illustrate the wide variety of fun holiday goods, available this year.
Arrow Mattick: Homemade Soaps, Wickless Candles, and Natural Products from Crystal Lake, IL
Located just to the left of the Christkindlmarket’s main entrance, Arrow Mattick’s wickless candles may have been my favorite find, this year. Since moving into UChicago’s housing, I’ve really missed the scent of burning candles. And while string lights can act as aesthetic candle-replacements, I had wrongly assumed that there was no replacement for the scent of holiday candles. However, Arrow Mattick produces a wide selection of wickless candles—which smell great, without the hassle of a flame (and the fear of accidentally burning down my dorm). My favorite three scents from Arrow Mattick are Christmas Pine, Merry Mistletoe, and Berry Christmas. I opened a wickless Christmas Pine candle on my dresser, as soon as I returned from this year’s market - and now my room smells like fresh Christmas trees!
TeaGeschwendner: Premium Loose Leaf Tea from Chicago, IL and Meckenheim, Germany
It was admittedly difficult to narrow down the choices at this vendor’s stall. With teas ranging from Rooibush Eggnog, Rooibush Cream Caramel, and black Christmas, to a Tea Advent Calendar, the stall offers many holiday-inspired teas. My favorites were the Snowman Tea and the Rooibush Eggnog.
Wooden Wonders: Traditional Hand-Crafted Slavic Gifts from Eastern Europe
As a Russian and Eastern European Studies major, I always keep my eye out for this stand. The stall features a wide range of Matroyshka dolls and Eastern European holiday ornaments. And it’s especially fun to study the larger Matroyshka dolls, towards the back of the stall; they feature scenes from beloved Eastern European fairytales. My favorite Matroyshka doll (pictured above) came from this fairytale-section of the stall!
Sweet Castle
My dad and little brother love this vendor. Selling everything from lucky marzipan pigs, to gingerbread cookies, vegetarian Haribo Smurf gummies, and chocolate-filled German music boxes, this vendor is worth the wait to get inside. I especially love Sweet Castle’s Edelmarzipan Mit Kirsche (a marzipan-cherry-chocolate candy).
Chiya Chai: Delicious Chai, Pie and Donuts from Chicago, IL
Each year, the Christkindlmarket features a different collector’s mug (this year’s new designs are pictured above). Many different vendors sell these mugs, but I especially liked Chiya Chai’s stand. They sell collector’s mugs filled with hot chocolate, hot cider, or hot chai for $8.00 (which is less money than the $10.00 price nearby, so be sure to compare prices!). Chiya Chai also sells mini donuts and savory and sweet pies, among other foods. I especially liked their Kale and Potato Pie.
And a Few More Vendor Favorites, Pictured Below:
In addition to the vendors featured above, the Käthe Wolfahrt of America building is another festive market stop. There’s sometimes a short wait to get into the building, but it’s worth it; the building features everything from wooden ornaments and Christmas napkins, to German playing cards and advent calendars. It’s one of the prettiest components of the market, but photos aren’t allowed - otherwise this article would be filled with many images of Käthe Wolfahrt’s holiday goods!
The Details:
When: November 15-December 24
Hours: Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm; Sunday-Thursday 11am-8pm (with special hours on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve)
Where: Daley Plaza, 50 W Washington St., Chicago, Illinois
Free Admission!
