Just wanted to mention how fantastic both of these things are. We went Zoo Lights with the little guy on Sunday and loved it. So well when done and there was a huge crowd.
Yesterday we did the market and that was a blast. A nice cold German beer and a great brat was exactly what I needed.
Along with the Mag Mile Chicago does Christmas right. Just a little pat on the back to this great city.
Ack!
Christkindl Market even.
We do both of them every year, too. The Kindlmarket is a great place to take your annual Christmas Card Photo, too!
Going to the Kindlmarket during the week must be the way to go. We went right when it opened on this past Sunday. After a fairly short wait to see Santa (thanks, UL!), we tried to walk through the market area. It was literally shoulder-to-shoulder. Too crowded to navigate with two little-ones in tow.
Still, we did have a good time and decided to go back next year, just during the week.
When I worked downtown, I’d hit the Kindlmarket on my way to the train in the evening (I got on the Blue Line right there). It was busy, but not oppresively so, at that point (around 5pm - 5:30pm).
I’ve gone twice this year to the Christkindlmarkt, both times with people who haven’t been before and were enchanted! I love taking new people, and always go on a weekday - and - NOT the week of Christmas! Even yesterday, Wednesday, with all the rain it was pretty busy until the rain was storming down. 1pm is usually a great time to get there on a weekday - after the downtown lunch crowd and before everyone gets off work.
It’s a tradition for me to go every year, have been since the 90’s when I worked downtown and then since I moved into the city in 2000. There are so many vendors who are there every year, and who I look forward to buying stuff from, especially the candy store and the honey booth. Oh, the vanilla honey - you have to try it!
Did anyone go during the time it was expanded across to the lot where the new highrise is now? It extended to State Street, where the old ice rink was, and they had enough space to have extra tents, like the glass blowers who gave demos and you could watch them make the stuff you could buy. It was so neat.
I also show newbies the pedway and take them to Macy’s and finish off the trip by heading to the 6th floor Christmas display there. It’s always a really nice day. Even in the rain!
I’ve never gone to either, am going to try this week for a weekday around 1pm, hopefully won’t be too crowded! I’m very excited 