12/5/12

Xmas in the United Kingdom



Ready for the holidays?! Christmas is a huge holiday in the United Kingdom, people start putting up decorations in mid-November. It felt really early to me but I realize they don't celebrate Thanksgiving like Americans do, so Christmas is the next holiday they look forward to. 
(Manchester Christmas Market - stall after stall)
In Nottingham, (and probably all of UK) there were decorations inside and outside of shops and around the streets. During weekends there would be occasional carolers singing Christmas songs. Christmas markets are really big here, there's at least one in every city of the UK. The markets usually open in late November to the beginning of December

Manchester Christmas Markets
I believe Manchester has the second largest Christmas market in Britain. (Largest one is in Birmingham and I'm upset that I went there RIGHT before they opened them) There are eight main parts of the markets, tons to walk through!
(Manchester Christmas Market - a creperie stall)
Stall after stall of festive treats or trinkets to buy as presents. There are lots of food stalls that sell desserts, hot food, sausages, cheeses, and more. If its freezing cold, you can also buy a hot drink to keep you warm. There are numerous drinks available, from alcoholic to non-acoholic. Mulled wine, spiced hot wine, is a popular holiday drink. At the Manchester markets, a hot drink came in a mug that you could choose to take it home as a souvenir. 
(Manchester Christmas Market - one of the pop-up pubs)
It first is a shock that alcoholic drinks are so readily available to purchase in European Christmas markets. But seeing a pop-up pubs or two within the markets soon becomes a usual sight.
(Convent Garden in London, one of the most decorated parts of the city)

More into the holiday food next time, the London Borough food market...Paris..and Vienna!

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