Photo: Kim Wyon, Visit Denmark.
Christmas spirit guaranteed Nowadays it is believed that the Coca-Cola adverts, showing a mass of red lorries adorned with lights and Father Christmas kicking back with a bottle of fizz, herald the beginning of Christmas. With the late autumn season and its absent snow and dreary, grey and dull skies, it is no wonder such a ‘tradition’ has caught on. Yet to the rescue comes the Scandinavian Christmas market guaranteed to instil a sense of warmth and peace in the hearts of even the most cynical of visitors. By Sara Asoka Paulsen and Isa Hemphrey
December has always been a time for compensating for the lack of natural light by lighting fires, candles and turning on fairy lights to add some warmth and festivity to the house – especially in Scandinavia, where the northern darkness is particularly deep, heavy and persistent. Fortunately, Christmas markets help by adding cosiness and sparkle, making our fantasies of a season with white rooftops, jewelled trees and snow80 | Issue 82 | November 2015
flakes come true. They also make the perfect excuse, if you ever needed one, to gorge on delicious food and sweets. Popular worldwide Attracting tourists as well as locals, travel agencies even give out offers to include trips to Christmas markets. With this growing popularity comes an expectation for a truly authentic Christmas experience. As can be expected for a thriving
tourist spot, traditional craftsmanship is sure to be on display, particularly wooden crafts that play with light by incorporating different kinds of wood. The atmosphere is enhanced by the dark Scandinavian winter sky, leaving traders to illuminate their goods for all to see. Rest assured, a heartfelt gift can be found with a local touch to bring back home. As far as locations go, a town square is the ideal choice. The local people naturally congregate to this spot and visitors will find the central location easily, although with the amount of delicious market food they could just follow their noses. Nevertheless, it makes it easy for visitors, who may be unfamiliar with the town, to get a taste for the best foods and crafts on offer, without having to venture to the outskirts.