2024 Christmas Fun

We started our Christmas activities early in December by making Christmas cookies to deliver to the neighbors. In addition to the aggressive home decorating in our area, seasonal baking is also another tradition/rivalry. We had some outside help this year.

Putting Grandpa to work

Decorating party

I seem to be sampling something in the background

Finished product

Our dance studio had an ugly Christmas sweater party which we enjoyed very much, even if we didn't win musical chairs.

By the tree

Closer up

By the sign

Musical chairs

During Christmas Eve, we visited the Highlandtown Train Display, which got its own post, and the Christmas Market. The Market was fun even if we only bought beverages.

Ice skating near the market

Market stalls and rides

Tower serving hot beverages

Bacon-selling stall! Why did we not shop there?!?

One booth would chocolate-coat anything...not too appetizing

Cooking sausages

Grinch reduced to busking

Christmas Eve my children made dinner for us. They went all out with a menu and even an outrageous bill at the end. Sorry, we were too busy eating to take pictures of the actual food!

Don't read the fine print!

Restaurant workers

The final bill and the drinks menu

We had a lovely day of celebrating on Christmas itself, though I only took one picture.

Present unwrapping!

One present was a rocket powered by vinegar and baking soda. We had fun launching it in our cul-de-sac.

Getting ready to launch

We played a bunch of the games that we got for Christmas, so much fun!

Board game haul

In keeping with the plane theme, we gave our eldest son a discovery flight to see if he enjoyed riding in and perhaps flying a small plane. We went to an airport on the north side of Baltimore and dropped him off for the experience.

Not sure if this was his plane

We finally got some snow a few days after New Years, making our house more Christmas-like.

The usual outdoor decor

Baltimore Christmas Market 2018

We went to the Christmas Village on the Inner Harbor this year. The area is modeled after the Christmas markets that are popular in Europe, especially Germany. We had fun wandering through the small shops. All we bought was food--some sausages, pretzels, and a crepe for dinner.

The sign outside

Cool paintings on the backs of the sheds

Lines for food

A tree! And more sheds!

Inside a tent was more booths selling gifts, trinkets, and food. The stage was empty the whole time we were there, so we didn't hear any fun music. Since it was a Saturday night, the place was crowded and it was hard to find seats. We sat on the edge of the stage and ate our pretzels and sausages. At least we were out of the cold!

The stage area

We enjoyed the visit and may go again next year.

Christmas Village in Baltimore 2014

Baltimore has a Christmas market patterned after the ones in Germany, so we wanted to visit. The village is right on the Inner Harbor, near a lot of the touristy stuff. We had to stop at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! venue to check out the 10,000 pound ball that anyone can turn.

Baltimore Inner Harbor

Dragon-encircled Ripley's

Spinning the ball

Further down the sidewalk we came to the Christmas village with its typical small wooden buildings selling food, drinks, clothes, and trinkets.

Market tree

Wooden buildings

Food venues

On weekends, visitors have to pay to enter the indoor market. Just before the entrance is an Advent Calendar which was about half-way done when we visited. Instead of opening doors, they add papers with German words and explanations of those terms.

Premium area entrance

Advent calendar

Inside were two aisles of vendors selling gifts, jewelry, and decorations.

Inside the tent

Game/puzzle seller

Wooden nativities

The biggest retailer was Kathe Wohlfahrt, selling traditional German holiday items like nativities, ornaments, and novelties. I took one picture inside their shop and was told no photography was allowed! Whoops.

Kathe Wohlfahrt

Contraband photo

Our favorite vendors were three. First was the face-paint lady, the favorite of L by far, even if she only got half her face done.

Face painting in progress

Final result

Number two on our favorite vendor list was the bratwurst and beer stand where we got lunch. L had a sausage and J a pretzel. Parents ate bratwursts and I had a nice hefeweisen.

Sausage and suds

Lunch

Pretzel man

The last of our favorite stands was the waffle-maker, where we got dessert. I ordered a chocolate and whipped cream waffle for us to share. Then J came and asked for his own. I probably should have objected but it made more sense to me to split two waffles four ways rather than one waffle four ways. We like to eat.

Waffle-icious (poor Nicholas was left out)

We walked around some more but didn't buy anything more. On our way back to the car we stopped and watched a street performer doing his routine, including a rope walking routine:

Christkindelmarkt, Leeds, England

Yes, you read that title right. We went to a German Christmas Market but did not have to leave the UK. The city of Leeds hosts their Christmas Market every year in Millennium Square. We visited on a brisk yet sunny Saturday.

Not a well-lit sign, probably better at night

Entering the market

We wandered through the little avenues, admiring the wares and looking for snacks. Lots of trinkets and bric-a-brac were on sale.

Christmas sales

Cuckoo clocks

Looking for food, not items!

We saw several snack options including exotic items like zebra burgers, mulled wine, sausages, etc. Our ultimate choice was satisfactory to everyone.

The mushroom stall, no sale!

Poffertjies are better!

More cooking...we'll be back!

Continuing on, we found the carousel which demanded to be ridden. For the first time, both children rode by themselves. It spun very quickly too, delighting riders and watchers.

J mounts his ride

L mounts her ride

J in action

L in action

Many other festive decorations caught our eye as we walked around the various stalls.

Alpine Lodge ready for fancy German-style dining

Who put that nice building back there?

One of many moose heads

Even the rubbish bins are festive

We visited the beer hall but didn't find any seating, so we decided to grab a sausage from one place and sneak off to the Leeds City Museum Cafe for lunch, where the kids could get some regular food. The sausage was delightful.

There's the museum, just past the green roof!

On our way back home, we visited the smallest civic playground ever!

J and L share the downtown playground

Ready for more action

The Three Towers, an inevitable Lord of the Rings "sequel"

The market runs from early November through mid-December and is definitely worth a visit!