Holidays - Kerstmarkt

Hello! The annual Kerstmarkt has begun, so I strolled down to take  a few photos:

I love these wooden "huts" with their red-and-white striped awning and the twinkly white lights - very festive. These vendors above were selling a variety of crafts and homemade jams and jellies. 

These vendors were selling small conifers and some crafts.

I didn't take a picture of my favorite vendor because there was a small crowd around him, as there usually is. The attraction? A vintage hand-operated sock-knitting machine. It's cool to watch him feed the yarn into the top of the machine, turn a crank, and watch a sock slowly form at the bottom. Every time I see him at Kerstmarkt I always wish I had one of those machines too!

I would have taken more photos but I was with an impatient husband who complained about missing the Michigan-Ohio State game if we stayed too long. (as an MSU alumni, he's cheering for Ohio State). So instead you can find more info about Kerstmarkt HERE.

However, he didn't object to me taking the following two photos, which are the only false note of this local holiday tradition:

 
These signs have been placed on the backs of two of the "huts", facing a well-traveled street. These signs aren't new - they've been used at least one previous year. It seems rather unfortunate to have the word "markt" divided like that. Don't know why this hasn't been fixed.


Nevertheless, Kerstmarkt is a charming touch of Europe and is well worth a look if you're in the area during its run.