I am going shopping - Christmas Market

[DIANE W]

Hello

I have just booked myself and my daughter - Kayley on a day trip, to a place that has a fantastic Christmas Market, we are going on Saturday.

I have been before a few years ago, and it is very very festive, all the many stalls are decorated, and the stall holders dress up in old costumes, which really gets you in the Christmas mood. the streets of the city are lined with stalls, and the cathedral is lit up, and carols are played - we are really looking forward to it and are so excited.

Then next weekend we are off again to a different place called Carlisle, another Christmas Market trip, but this time it is a full weekend, as we are staying in a Hotel for 2 nights.

My husband will be staying home looking after Harvey, as he really hates shopping, but is happy for us both to go and have fun. He is such a kind person,

I will try to not buy too much!!!!!

[DianaB]

I would love to see some pictures!! It sounds like a lot of fun and very interesting since everyone is dressed up!!

[paula1961]

That sounds like loads of fun!! Let us know how it goes! I've never been to anything like that. Have a wonderful time:)

[gja1000]

That sounds so much fun!! It would be great if you could post some pictures for us so we could get an idea of what a Christmas Market in the UK looks like.

We have a couple of Christmas events here in Austin. One is called a Christmas Affair. It is put on by the Junior League and is a charitable fundraiser - but the items are prices waaay over my budget. It is fun to look at the pretty things, but I don't buy anything.

Then we have something called the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. It goes on the 2 or 3 weeks before Christmas. It is individual vendors with all kinds of interesting things - all local artists - and in the evenings they have great live music.

Diane, be sure to come back and tell us what you bought!

[Blueyes]

That sounds like a perfect way to get in the holiday spirit!! Please take pictures if you can. This ol' gal from Texas sure would like to see the sights;)

[pope1982]

This sounds like such a wonderful time! How thoughtful and creative :)

[Janet]

Diane...it sounds wonderful. I'm like everyone else here though, I would love to see pictures if it's possible. It's sounds so beautiful!!

[judy]

What a wonderful way to do your Christmas shopping! I can't wait to hear about it, and to see pictures!

[DIANE W]

Hi just thought i would update on my trip yesterday to York, sorry we didnt take any pictures - we will next weekend though.

We had a lovely day, there was snow on the mountains on the way there and it felt very chrismassy.

The weather was dry but very cold, but we were wrapped up real warm and it all added to the experience, when we got there, there must have been hundreds of market stalls, all dressed and lit up - very festive. Some of the things being sold were, handmade jewellery (got some lovely pendants for gifts for my sister and friend), leather goods - now handbags are my ultimate weakness, but i did refrain, as i have not long bought a beautiful leather bag. There were lots of handmade wooden toys - i imagine like they used to be years ago. We found candles, for gifts, Kayley bought a few toys from the disney shop, for friends children. Lots of food stalls, and farmers selling their produce - wanted to buy lots, but didnt want to have to carry too much.

We had hot chocolate drinks with brandy in - wow that was very warming on a cold day, we had chocolate orange crepes (pancakes), with cream (very naughty but nice). Then later we had hot hog roast sandwiches, pork, cranberry and stuffing, with roast potatoes - wowwee.

We watched all the street entertainers, mime artists, statues, and carol singers. It was very nice, we then spent some time in the cathedral - York Minster, that is just fantastic the atmosphere in there is just so special, we lit a candle for my mum who sadly died 8 years ago now.

The day was just really nice, the only thing i can complain about is the crowds, the volume of people there were just massive, sometimes it was very difficult to get to see everything we wanted, which was a little frustrating, but it was a very enjoyable day.

We got home late and just were so tired, it was bath and bed for us.

Back to work for me tomorrow, then time to get prepared for our next trip to another Christmas Market - Carlisle this time, looking forward to staying in the hotel, maybe we wont be as rushed as this time!!!! We are leaving on Friday morning, and we will be back home Sunday late afternoon.

It is lovely spending time with Kayley, as when we are home and busy, we only get to see each other for short times throughout the day.

I will try and get photos.

Diane

[paula1961]

Oh Diane...sounds like you and Kayley had a wonderful time together! Everything sounds so festive! Glad you two enjoyed it all! I know what ya mean about handbags..they are a weakness of most of us ladies:) Do take pics next weekend if possible...we would love to see! Thanks for the update.

[pope1982]

Wow your update post made my stomach growl :o
You described everything so lovely, glad you two had a memorable time. Thanks for sharing!

[gja1000]

Oh My Diane! Your shopping trip sounds just lovely! You described everything so well, I can almost see it, if I close my eyes. I know you had a great time with your daughter. And just think, you have next weekend to look forward to. I just love Christmas markets with individual and handmade things. It's just the best!

YES! Please take pictures next week!

[Blueyes]

I'm so glad you had a fun shopping trip! You know, I really enjoy your posts. I love how you "talk", and I enjoy the different things you describe! I felt like I was there shopping with you, lol! I'm glad you joined us here at 4WT:D

[highlans]

Oh I do envy you sounds like you had a brilliant time, we used to live just outside York in a village called Strensall, I loved the shops there so quaint and walking round the cobbles. We still have friends there and keep saying we will go back for a visit must put that on my new years resolution for next year.:thumbup:

[judy]

That sounds so lovely! It is so nice that you and Kayley spent the day together and enjoyed the shopping, and the food. Yummy!

I bet you are in the Christmas spirit already!

[DIANE W]

Hi everyone thanks for the replies, yes we did enjoy it, and are really looking forward to the weekend away.

I was back to work yesterday, very glad to be back, but you really quickly get thrown back into it!!!!!!!!

It is difficult not to feel bad when off sick, because i know the impact it has on my collegues, we are really busy at the moment, and i had to get busy straight away - no easing myself in gently!!!!

I am feeling very chrismassy, Kayley has suggested we put up the decorations and trees, but i think we will wait a bit longer. I have seen a lot of houses already dressed up with lights etc, i will get my thinking cap on as to where i am going to put everything - as we have moved recently, i have never decorated this house yet....

I am going out for our Christmas lunch with work on Thursday, we will be having a nice meal and exchanging our gifts - we do a secret santa, which incase you dont know is, we all pull out a name of a collegue, then buy that person a gift upto £10, wrap it up pretty and exchange it at our lunch. We have a good time, there are 12 of us in our team, so we enjoy our little selves:)

I am enjoying being here, and love reading all your posts.

[gja1000]

I know what you mean about getting back into the swing of work quickly!!! I was gone for a week the first of November, and I think I am still catching up!

We have our Christmas lunch at work next week - but we don't do secret Santa, there's too many of us. I love secret Santa too - but I have done it a bit differently. Everyone gets a number and #1 opens his/her gift. Then #2 gets to take #1's gift (if she wants it) or opens her gift - and so it goes that everyone gets to take a gift already opened, or open a gift, their choice. It pays to have a later numbers because you have the advantage of seeing all the gifts that you might want to take :D. It's really fun and can be quite wild, especially if there's a great gift lots of people want!

I know you will have a great time decorating the new house - it is such fun, especially if Kayley will help you. I love doing things like that with my daughter or granddaughters!

[Lindsey]

We do the same kind of gift exchange as Gayle. We have our work Christmas party this Saturday. Everyone and their guest has to bring a $15 gift suitable for a male or female. With ours, the best place to be is #1... because you don't get to steal a gift to begin with, at the end you get a chance to steal ANY of the opened gifts!

Diane, I need to go to the UK at Christmas I think :) The market sounds wonderful!

This weekend we have our annual craft show here. Hundreds of merchants from the province (and a few from out of province) set up booths inside the big arena. Scott and I are planning to go Friday night. It always gets me in the holiday mood!

[DianaB]

Diane, you're going to have to take pictures of your home after you get it all decorated!! I bet that it will be beautiful!! I'm having trouble getting in the Christmas mood. I think that it's because it's just so stressful for me!!

[judy]

My women's group is having our Bizarre Bazaar, I think next week Monday. We bring in whatever crafts or handmade stuff we make, if any, and put it out for sale. I think I'll bring a couple of pieces of pottery. We also bring in one gift bag for a male, and one for a woman, which we donate to the seniors at one of the homes nearby.

We also have dinner, for $19, at the restaurant where we are holding this. It should be really nice.

There are so many Holiday Sales around here. A lot of the churches sponsor them, a lot of community groups, etc. I love living in the country!~!!

[DIANE W]

Sorry not posted sooner.....

I just typed a big long thread and PC crashed on me - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Well we went on our weekend trip and once again im afraid i took no photos - we forgot the camera:mad:

We had a very nice weekend though, the hotel was fantastic, our room was really nice and the food was very good too.

The weather was against us a little, we couldnt do as much as we wanted because of the rain on one of the days. However we spent the day in the hotel, in the jacuzzi, and sauna, and just relaxing and people watching - it was wonderful. Kayley says i am nosy and can listen into peoples conversations from across the room:rolleyes:

I just think i am interested in my surroundings - but she wont have any of it, she is like me in lots of ways, but not that, she really only concerns herself with relevant things - unlike her mummy.....;)

All in all it was very nice, but next year i think we will stay in York for the weekend as i think that market is much better.

We bought a few things, but tried not to go mad, i bought Kayley some clothes, as part of her Christmas present, other than that though we just enjoyed ourselves.

[DianaB]

It sounds like you had a wonderful trip!! I love to get away to shop and then go and relax at a hotel. We do that once in a while. It makes Christmas shopping so much nicer when we can spend two days shopping instead of one.

[gja1000]

I just love Christmas markets!! I love handmade Christmas items and I love going shopping with my daughter!

Thanks so much for sharing!