Tags: christkindelmarkt, christmas markets, german, prepaid travel cards, Prepaid365, travel money cards

As the festive season approaches, many people are keen to embrace the many traditions of other countries by celebrating in style.

Christmas markets are popular both at home and abroad, as many European destinations in France, Germany and Austria are all renowned for their festive stalls and traditional foods.

Closer to home, big cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, London and beyond all embrace the traditions and have large markets of their own serving many wondrous Christmas treats. This is probably a feature that expats from those countries who are now living in Britain particularly enjoy at this time of year.

However, there are plenty of locations further from home where Christmas markets are prevalent as well. The tradition is very popular in places such as the USA, Canada and Italy. Even Lapland has been known to stage their own Christmas market, meaning Santa can try and grab a few last-minute bargains as well.

It seems that whatever city you wish to visit this Christmas, there’s a strong chance that you’ll encounter a Christmas market of some sort or another on your travels.

German Markets at Home

A great example of a piece of tradition making the move across the channel is the Christkindelmarkt in Leeds, where a little piece of Germany springs up in the city centre.

With traditional wooden stalls and festive greenery, hundreds of thousands of visitors go to the market each year to see what the authentic German traders are offering.

From gluhwein (mulled wine) to delicious bratwurst, many stalls serve up traditional treats designed to warm the stomach in the middle of winter.

Other stalls tend to showcase long-established techniques for making unique festive gifts, such as woodcarving, glass painting and other hand-crafted toys.

Looking Further Afield

The market represents a cosy retreat where families can eat, drink and enjoy Christmas while across the channel in Europe, markets are far bigger and even more popular.

There are over 100 Christmas markets in Germany alone, with many markets illuminating the pretty squares and architecture in some of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

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