{"id":19300,"date":"2018-12-19T21:19:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-19T21:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/?p=19300"},"modified":"2018-12-19T21:26:30","modified_gmt":"2018-12-19T21:26:30","slug":"english-christmas-market-winchester","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/english-christmas-market-winchester\/","title":{"rendered":"An English Christmas Market – Winchester"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Winchester<\/p>\n

There’s nothing more festive than a Christmas Market on a dark Winter’s night.\u00a0 Add to that English Christmas Carols (sung by the cathedral choir maybe?) piped in to add festive spirit, plus the incredible backdrop of one of the oldest cathedral in the UK, and it’s not hard to see why Winchester has gained the title of “Most Beautiful European Christmas Market” according to the New York Times at least.<\/p>\n

\"Winchester<\/p>\n

Having lived in the Christmas Market capital of the World<\/a> for quite some time, you can’t really compare a German market to an English one (they really are different – the one in Bath felt so different, it made me quite”homesick”!!), but Winchester Christmas Market<\/a> is still really lovely (although possibly more of a “Craftmas” Market), and well worth visiting.\u00a0 \u00a0The setting is really special, and there are of course the obligatory Gluhwein stands (two), a gebrannte mandeln (warm sugared almond) seller and of course a Bratwurst stall\u00a0 (I think it could probably do with a few more food stalls though to be honest – it tends to be mostly about eating, drinking and being quite merry in Germany!).<\/p>\n

\"hot<\/p>\n

There’s a sweet little Hot Chocolate Hut tucked away in a corner that I spotted also sold stollen, so that can have a few extra brownie points (unlike Grandad who indulged the Toddler with a huge Nutella and Banana crepe. I can’t comment on whether that was good or not, but as it lasted mere seconds, I am guessing it probably was!)…<\/p>\n

\"Chestnut<\/p>\n

\"Winchester
An empty ice rink… Open until the 2nd January – unlike the rest of the market!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I should have written about my new local Christmas Market before now in all honesty, given that the last day is tomorrow (not the ice rink, that stays open until the 2nd January with silent discos and the like between now and then.\u00a0 The online pre-booking system<\/a> is fabulous and makes the whole thing a lot easier when you are going skating with hoards of kids.\u00a0 You can also turn up and skate on the off-chance there’s space of course!) but this past month has been a whirlwind of theatre trips, school functions, nativity plays complete with toddler shepherds getting their crooks confiscated.<\/p>\n

\"christmas<\/p>\n

\"winchester<\/p>\n

I also spent one Saturday afternoon as an elf at a Santa’s Grotto (don’t ask!), which I actually really enjoyed in the end.\u00a0 Three hours locked in a shed with a fan heater on full blast, the biggest coffee ever, a 1980’s Christmas CD on repeat, a few tickets to hand out and not much else to do\u00a0 at this time of year?\u00a0 Perfect (Christmas is definitely a time for peace on earth and all that, but Mothers in particular deserve a chunk of peace in the middle of the Festive season to stop them going slightly bonkers – even if they have to resort to Elfin measures).<\/p>\n

\"winchester<\/p>\n

\"winchester<\/p>\n

Anyway, this little photo tour is\u00a0 a case of better late than never really, especially if you fancy putting Winchester on your must see Christmas Market location list for next November\/December (and make sure you visit on a week day to avoid the crowds!)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Do venture beyond the Market to Cathedral Close to find another little Christmassy Corner, you might not even know it’s there if you aren’t local…<\/p>\n

\"cathedral<\/p>\n

Just in case you really<\/em> love your photography, you could venture to the top of St Catherine’s Hill as the light fades for the best view of the city in all of its festive twinkly light glory.\u00a0 Something else I have been meaning to do.\u00a0 Oh well, there’s always next year!…<\/p>\n

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