In brief
Christmas markets bring festive spirits alive, showcasing unique foods, drinks, and crafts. Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market claims authenticity with its German roots, while Berlin's markets offer a traditional festive ambiance. This article explores the nuances between a UK Christmas market experience versus the traditional German atmosphere.
Wooden huts are glittering with golden fairylights as groups of friends gather in woolly hats, warming their hands on mugs of mulled wine.
Signs written in German are dotted about - Glühwein (mulled wine), Bratwurst (grilled sausage), Kinderpunsch (non-alcoholic punch).
This isn't Germany - it's Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market. Organisers say it's the largest authentic German Christmas market outside the country and Austria.
On a cold Thursday afternoon in Birmingham, we have just met Nina Adler and Till Rampe, 27-year-old German students studying for PhDs in the UK's second city.
As we walk around the Christmas market, which snakes through streets close to Birmingham New Street railway station, they're reminded of home. They point to the wooden huts, food and drink, and the handicrafts as positive signs this is close to the traditional ideal.
The chocolate-coated marshmallows at one stall impress Till, who is from a town near Frankfurt.
But other aspects of Birmingham's market are further removed from the German way - with pop tunes blaring instead of traditional Christmas carols, says Nina, from Berlin.
Overall, Birmingham's market offers a festive glow reminiscent of German traditions, while locations in the UK introduce unique British flavors to the Christmas celebrations.
While many Christmas markets in the UK have been running for weeks, in Germany they traditionally open on 24 November.
Berlin is home to over 70 Christmas markets, bustling with festive delights and people of all ages, filled with smells of roasted almonds and mulled wine.
In Birmingham, Kurt Stroscher, director of Frankfurt's Christmas market, ensures authenticity with wooden stalls and German-imported food. Therein lies the charm that attracts many to experience the holiday magic.
As the markets continue to evolve, they reflect cultural exchanges, with Birmingham's market further enhancing the view of traditional celebrations while incorporating local flavors.
