Christmas market, German-style - anybody been there?

[constanze]

The news just reported that the German-American Trade Association has exported the German Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) to Chicago. They said that the locals have taken to it, even learning new words like Glühwein (mulled wine). An american baker even had the audacity to declare that his Stollen was original and exported to Germany! (we have lots of locally produced Stollen, thanks.)

So any of the Chi-dopers gone there? Impressions? Liked it? Need explanations what the little wooden guys are for?

[MikeG]

God this post reeks of shilling. What marketing group do you work for?

FYI, the ChristkindlMarkt has been there for a while. it's here every year and pretty much anyone who works downtown knows about it.

If you want a decent schnitzel or bratkartofflen, check out Resi's or Laschetts or hell the Chicago BrauHaus even!

[levdrakon]

It's Kriskindelmarkt to me. Not a Chicagoan though. If you're in Germany sometime, go.

[constanze]

Originally Posted by MikeG

God this post reeks of shilling. What marketing group do you work for?

I can assure you that shilling is not my intent at all! I work for a university in Munich and am not associated in any way, shape or form with any Christmas market, over there or over here. I just heard about it on the news and was a bit surprised, because I didn't know it exists in the states, since there isn't the centuries-long tradition with it.

FYI, the ChristkindlMarkt has been there for a while. it's here every year and pretty much anyone who works downtown knows about it.

I didn't know that. I was pitying the mericans a bit, considering how many Christmas market my city (Munich) alone has, that you don't have the chance to drink hot wine, eat special foods, spend too much money on knick-knacks and get jostled in crowds of people as I can do. But now I know you can have the same experience.

[Ed Zotti]

Originally Posted by levdrakon

It's Kriskindelmarkt to me. Not a Chicagoan though. If you're in Germany sometime, go.

A Christkindl Market (that's the spelling I've seen) was held last weekend in Lincoln Square, an old German neighborhood. It drew a good crowd. How old a tradition this is in Lincoln Square I don't know, nor do I know how authentic a market this is. I do know that Germans have been a major presence in Chicago since the 19th century, with many shops, restaurants and such along Lincoln Avenue once upon a time, although relatively few remain now. (Anyone remember Zum Deutschen Eck?) So it's not like people here are totally unfamiliar with such things.

[levdrakon]

Yeah, walking through a Kriskindelmarkt with a hot Glühwein in one hand and a bratwurst mit scharfer senf (German hot mustard) surrounded by Christmasy shiny on a snowy night is a magical experience every kid (young or old) should experience.

Okay, leave the wine out of the Glühwein for the wee kids, but you get the idea.

[Quasimodem]

Sorry, but nothing in the States can hold a candle (!) to anything in Rothenburg ob der Tauber when we're discussing Christmas markets.

Quasi

[constanze]

Originally Posted by Ed Zotti

A Christkindl Market (that's the spelling I've seen)

That's the correct german spelling: the Christkindl is the diminitutive form for the christ child (interesting, it's nowadays usually played by a blond girl/women in a white dress with wings on the back. Similarly, the Münchner Kindl = Munich child, which originally represented a monk who founded the city, became a child and is nowadays played by a young girl /woman during the Oktoberfest parade.)

Kriskindl looks more like a Scandinavian word. I guess it's the phonetic American spelling of how to pronounce the word?

How old a tradition this is in Lincoln Square I don't know, nor do I know how authentic a market this is. I do know that Germans have been a major presence in Chicago since the 19th century, with many shops, restaurants and such along Lincoln Avenue once upon a time, although relatively few remain now. (Anyone remember Zum Deutschen Eck?) So it's not like people here are totally unfamiliar with such things.

The authenticity of German things imported/transported into America always makes me wonder. Although there are many German immigrants in certain areas, when watching reports of Texans wearing Bavarian clothes I always get the feeling that they have Americanized in their thinking and culture quite quickly and thus they come across more like people playing at being Bavarian/German than the real thing.
Or it maybe that expats always try harder to show their culture than the natives back home.

[constanze]

Originally Posted by levdrakon

Okay, leave the wine out of the Glühwein for the wee kids, but you get the idea.

That's what Kinderpunsch is for - mix hot red fruit tea with orange juice for an easy recipe. Most booths over here sell both Glühwein and Kinderpunsch (which is also a good alternative for those who don't like/can't drink alcohol.

[Dinsdale]

I've never seen the appeal of that thing in Daley Center.
More blatantly manufactured entertainment, akin to the BS Berghoff Oktoberfest.
Prepackaged crap like this makes it far easier than seeking out anything resembling an authentic experience.

[Quasimodem]

Another reason I prefer the "real thing" (in Germany) is because of the artistry involved in creating the many Christmas-oriented decorations, such as those which come from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erzgebirge Ore Mountains

Quasi

[levdrakon]

Kristkindelmarkt seems to come from Kris Kringle, which was a mispronunciation, and misunderstanding of Pennsylvania Germans' use of Christkindl.