A crowd mills in front of the Sweet Castle at Chicago's Christkindlmarket.
The first time I found it was an accident. After my first semester at UIUC, I was flying out of O’Hare and back to my home state of Washington for the winter holidays. Between taking the train from CU to Chicago and catching the plane from O’Hare to Washington, I had scheduled time to have lunch with a friend at Bloomingdale’s. This was my second time in the Second City, and I was utterly, hopelessly lost. Then, I found it: a winter wonderland of red and white stripped awnings, gingerbread and carols. I had come across the Christkindlmarket. [*]
Chicago’s Christkindlmarket is a Chicago tradition inspired by the Christkindlmarket in Nuremburg, Germany; and I really don’t feel I’m overstating matters when I say that it is like stumbling upon a Christmas wonderland. The outdoor market consists of vendor stalls which employ a Bavarian aesthetic in woodwork and detail. Most of the stalls are covered a red and white stripped awning trimmed with an Evergreen garland which creates a feeling of being in-and-out of place. Certainly participants in CKM are in a celebratory holiday space. However, it is hard to believe that one is still standing on Daley Plaza in the middle of modern day Chicago and not in a vividly imagined Germany of the past.
Above each stall is an inscription with the name of the merchant or shop and the region of the world from which the wares originated. The majority of goods sold are from various regions of Germany, but there are representative stalls from Austria, Poland, and even Mexico. The CKM is nothing if not diverse. Items one could purchase at CKM include but are not limited to: glass ornaments, traditional wood carvings, pottery, handmade lace, and sweaters. [†] Of course, what this list leaves out are the food vendors: mulled wine, brats of all sorts, potato pancakes, Bavarian pretzels, Stollen and a near-infinite variety of gingerbreads are just some of the tasty treats you can enjoy at CKM.
There are only two negatives to CKM. First, it’s chilly. Before going, be sure you are psychologically and physically prepared to deal with the ramifications of what it means to be at an outdoor market. In downtown Chicago. In December. Second, it’s crowded. CKM is beautiful and magical and draws a big crowd. Be prepared to be bumped or jostled as you browse the stalls.
These downsides are more than made up for by the unique wares, treats and overall atmosphere at CKM. This Chicago tradition has become a personal tradition of mine, and I would encourage you to make it part of your holiday traditions as well. Christkindlmarket will run every day through Christmas Eve in Daley Plaza from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Bundle up, head downtown and enjoy!
[*] Readers familiar with Chicago will note that I was practically around the corner from my goal destination. I had no way of knowing this at the time. I also didn’t know that the Blue line would take me from Union Station to O’Hare, and I wasted over $30 on a cab ride to the departure gate of the cheapest airline servicing my route. Irony? No. Just misfortune.
[†] A wise marketing move as the temperature is frequently, literally, below freezing and shoppers enjoying the spectacle soon find they need another layer of clothing.
