Frohe Weihnachten!

(Merry Christmas)

I love all things Christmas!!!! Movies, music, markets, lights, traditions……..I love it all!! This year we were looking for a little getaway to kickoff the Christmas season and we found something right out of a Hallmark movie, Carmel Christkindlmarkt in Carmel, Indiana. I’ve mentioned Carmel, Indiana many times in my blog because it’s such a easy destination to travel to from Cincinnati, Ohio (About 2 hours) and there is so much to do. Last year, I had marked my calander to attend the Christkindlmarkt, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to COVID. I was extremely excited when I heard it was going to be happening this year, so we booked a trip as soon as we could.

What is a Christkindlmarkt?

A Christkindlmarkt(Christmas Market) is a German Christmas Festival filled with foods, gifts, drinks, and holiday festivities. There are many Christmas Markets throughout Europe, but you can find a few traditional markets throughout the states. These markets typically last around six weeks depending on the specific market you are looking to attend.

I’ve been to Germany, but I have never been during the holidays. ( I did a foreign exchange program while in high school) In Cincinnati we have things like Octoberfest and Germania Christkindlmarkt, but the Carmel Christkindlmarkt authenticity really stuck out to me. There are about 50 booths set up similar to the way they’d be set up in Germany, with an authentic Glühwein Pyramid in the center. There are food booths filled with traditional foods found at German Christmas Markets. They bring in authentic gifts and crafts, some of them being imported from Germany. They also have entertainment such as Alphorn players and other local performers. Carmel Christkindlmarkt takes place November 20- December 24th Wednesday - Sunday. (see website for more details) https://www.carmelchristkindlmarkt.com

This market is like stepping into a hallmark movie. The only way it could be more magical is if there were snow falling from the sky. We may have to go back at a later date when there is snow in the forecast.

Where We Stayed?

We booked a room at Hotel Carmichael because it’s just steps away from the market. We have stayed here once before and admire the charm of the hotel. It is right in the the Carmel City Center near the Arts and Design District, so there is so much to do. We wanted to be able to enjoy the market during the day and during the night so being so close was extremely convenient.

What To Do at Carmel Christkindlmarkt?

Eat Authentic Foods

There are so many authentic foods served at Christkindlmarkt. Some of the foods offered I had not had since Germany, such as Flammkuchen and Doner Kebab. We tried the delicious hot chocolate from Bob’s Belgian Hot Chocolate. This hot chocolate was really good and came served with a cute little gingerbread cookie covered in chocolate. We split the Raclette from Raclette Chalet, which was a lot bigger than I expected. There are a couple of different ways you can order your Raclette, we ordered ours with a Bratwurst. We split the potatoes on a stick. My personal favorite treat was the chocolate covered marshmallows from Das Schokoladenhaus(which translates to the Chocolate house). They had chocolate covered fruits, rice krispies, marshmallows, and more. A traditional beverage we didn’t get was the Glühwein served in the cutest little cups that double as a souvenir. Glühwein is a mulled wine enjoyed during the holiday season, they serve many different flavors. Unfortunately they were out of Doner Kebab during our visit, but maybe we will make another trip out to Carmel during the holiday season.

See Performances

Be sure to check the schedule to see which entertainers will be performing. We enjoyed watching the Alphorn Players in the Winter Pavilion. There are also demonstrations and special characters that make an appearance throughout the market.

Ice Skating

In the center of the market there is a beautiful Ice Skating rink called the Ice at Carter Green. You can purchase tickets online to reserve a time and skates. There are children and adult pricing available on their website. https://www.theiceatcartergreen.com
This is such a magical experience in the evening with the lights twinkling around the market.

Go Shopping

Pick out the perfect Geschenk (gift) for a loved one, or maybe even yourself. There are some really unique, authentic items to be found throughout the market. There were cuckoo clocks, jewelry, knit items, ornaments, steins, and more. My favorite booth was filled with the German candle arches. These beautiful arches would make the perfect Christmas decoration!

Glühwein Pyramid

A Glühwein Pyramid is a lifesize version of traditional German decoration called a Christmas Pyramid.( Decoration is pictured under Go Shopping section 3rd picture in row) The lifesize pyramids are typically found at German Christmas Markets. I found some interesting facts about the Pyramid at Carmel Christkindlmarkt: it weighs about 10 tons and is 33 feet tall. At the Glühwein Pyramid you will find Glühwein that can be served in the Glühwein Mugs. There are 9 different mulled wines, even a non-alcoholic fruit punch. The Baked Apple Mulled Wine sounded amazing. There are also some other beverages such a beer served here.

Last year, the market was cancelled due to COVID. We were very thankful that the market was able to take place this year. We are still taking things very cautious, but we masked up and felt extremely safe the entire time. Mask are not required for guest, but mandatory for vendors of the market (at time blogpost was written). The market wasn’t super crowded, but we did feel a bit safer to wear a mask.

The market is free to enjoy (apart from Ice Skating). We had such a fun time. This will definitely be a new tradition for us. We loved the food, the charm, and the authenticity of the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. Definitely add this to your list of Holiday Getaways!

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