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Old World Christmas markets

Another German tradition is a hit during the holidays.

For 500 years, Germans have done their holiday shopping at open-air Christmas markets in town squares.

Named for the Christ child, the markets traditionally start on the first Sunday of Advent, with shoppers warming up with hot spiced wine while browsing at garland-draped timber kiosks.

It's a tradition worth importing, and that's what Chicago did in 1996 with its Christkindlmarket, where two-thirds of the vendors come from Germany.

It's become more popular every year, and now many other towns — from the shores of Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota to Wisconsin cheese country and the ethnic enclaves of Michigan — have markets of their own.

Many include parades, especially the traditional children's lantern procession. There's always live music, and you can usually count on getting a cone of warm sugared almonds to munch while shopping. 

Here are some of the best Old World Christmas markets.

Christkindlmarket in Chicago. This is the most authentic market, with many German vendors bringing over Old World toys, ornaments and sweets to sell in their timber booths in Daley Plaza.

Food also is authentic — currywurst, potato pancakes, pretzels — with ingredients often brought from Germany.

The marked can be quite crowded, so try to go in the morning. It runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve; check the schedule for the Children's Lantern Parade and concerts on Wednesdays, Fridays and weekends.

For more, see Chicago at Christmas.

Christkindlsmarkt in Excelsior, Minn. In this Minneapolis suburb on Lake Minnetonka, choirs and bands play for shoppers at a traditional German open-air Christmas market.

It begins with a parade the Friday after Thanksgiving and continues through Sunday.

For more about Excelsior, see Cruising around Excelsior.

Christkindlmarkt in Monroe, Wis. The sale in Turner Hall is small, but this cheese-country capital still has one foot in the Old World. Father Christmas will appear, and homemade Swiss baked goods as well as folk arts will be offered.

It's held the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving. For more about Monroe, see Cheese country.

Holiday Kerstmarkt in Holland, Mich. This open-air European Christmas Market at the Eighth Street Market Place includes 16 timber booths offering Dutch imports, folk art, hand-knit apparel and other gifts.

It begins the Saturday before Thanksgiving and runs through the second Saturday in December.

Frankenmuth Farmers Market Christkindlmarkt in Frankenmuth, Mich. This small town north of Flint is known as "Michigan's Little Bavaria'' and holds a traditional German Christmas Market in an elbow of the Cass River. A Holiday Celebration and Candlewalk is held on Friday.

It's held the weekend after Thanksgiving and the first weekend in December.

Old World Christmas Market at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wis. This eastern Wisconsin market, held in a heated tent, features very good prices as well as ambiance, and some vendors come over from Germany.

It starts the first Friday in December and runs for 10 days. Admission is $6.

For details, see Old World Christmas.

Christkindl Festival in Black River Falls, Wis. A candlelight procession and tree lighting start this traditional German market fair. There's also live reindeer, a baby camel, horse-drawn wagon rides, music and a Christkindl Night of Lights Parade.

It's held the first weekend in December.

Lincoln Square Christkindl Market in Chicago. The market in the old German neighborhood of Chicago, adjacent to the Western stop of the Brown Line, features visits from St. Nicholas, free trolley rides, an ice-sculpting competition.

There's also a Kids Korner for decorating cookies and ornaments, performances by many choirs and bands and a Saturday parade and tree lighting.

It's held the first weekend in December.

For more great places to shop during the holidays, see Shopping towns stories.

Last updated on November 25, 2011