Blog Carnival: Christmas Markets Light Winter Nights

All over Europe, traditional Christmas markets brighten the early winter dusks this month. Shoppers enjoy the twinkling lights, steaming crocks of spicy mulled wine, sizzling sausages and chestnuts. There's usually music, crafts, baked goods and sweets. The Best Christmas Markets in UK go on for most of November and December, in the shadow of Medieval cathedrals.

The tradition may have begun in Germany and Austria, but today Christmas markets (or Christkindle Markets as they are sometimes called), have spread to Northern and Eastern Europe, France, Italy and Spain. We've even found some around the USA.

And this year, with everyone pinching pennies, the traditional Christmas market is a good choice for unique gifts at reasonable prices. About.com's Travel Guides have joined together for this week's blog carnival to recommend their favorite Christmas markets:

• Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland all feature in The Best Christmas Markets in Scandinavia from Scandinavia guide Terri Mapes.
• Birge Amondson, About.com's guide to Germany, highlights a handful of The Best Christmas Markets in Germany including the oldest, in Dresden, dating from 1454. Check out her Christmas Market photo gallery too.
• Paris always sparkles so it's no surpise that Paris guide Courtney Traub has found a nice bunch of Paris Christmas Markets. And check out other Christmas Markets in France
• Eastern Europe is positively effervescent with holiday markets. Guide Kerry Kubilius highlights these Christmas Markets in Eastern Europe.
• And, heading south, Italy guide Martha Bakerjian says Italian Christmas Markets, called Mercatini di Natale, are good places to shop for Italian Christmas gifts and, perhaps, catch a glimpse of Babbo Natale, Father Christmas.
• Stateside, New York City guide Heather Cross spotlights Holiday Markets in New York City.
• And frosty Chicago is the setting for Christkindlemarkt in Daley Plaza.

And, if you are heading for Spain and can handle a bit of Spanish, do check out Madrid's Ciudad Navidad website. They've been selling traditional nativity figures in the Plaza Mayor since 1860 and the Plaza España is the place to find traditional and contemporaray Spanish crafts.

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