The ball dropped in New York City’s Times Square, and fireworks blazed across the skies across the world. Yeah, it’s 2023. Hallelujah. It’s hard to believe that we could celebrate again after COVID forced so many festivities to be canceled for so long. In Europe, even the Christmas markets returned this season. Boy, I’d missed them.
Celebrating
There were many ways to celebrate the holiday season in Brussels, and the party wasn’t over until January 8. First, the city’s award-winning Christmas Market — called the Plaisirs d’Hiver in French or Winterpret in Dutch — was extended. Originally scheduled to end on New Year’s Eve, much of the market remained open until Sunday, January 8. Yes, procrastinators got an additional chance to get in on the fun. And the Ferris wheel located in the market area, is already being relocated to Place Poelaert where it will operate year-round! It’s already a big tourist attraction. While not all pre-Christmas stalls and attractions carried on after Christmas, the magic of the market did.
The Magic of Grand Place
Thousands of people gathered for a nightly holiday light and sound show in Grand Place, undoubtedly the most magnificent square in Europe. Too bad the light show is only available during the holiday season because it’s surprisingly impressive. We stumbled onto it by accident. I had forgotten just how magnificent it is! Colorful art was projected on the historic buildings of Grand Place, and thousands snapped pictures of the Nordmann fir tree with its 600 champagne-colored balls and 125 miles of LED lights. The 40-year-old tree from the province of Liège towers nearly 60 feet over the market square. It’s stunning, and it is still standing in the middle of Grand Place..
called the World’s Best Christmas Market
From Grand Place, we walked down to De Brouckère and La Monnaie squares to the Christmas market. We discovered charming wooden chalets where you can pick up a variety of gifts or sample a dizzying array of foods from countries ranging from Belgium and Canada to Ukraine.
We sipped on the ever-popular glühwein, a hot spiced wine. It’s available at so many market stalls for about three bucks, and if you return your glass, you get one euro back.
And, of course, there was Belgian chocolate — and Belgian fries. Lots of fries — of every shape and description. Ditto for the chocolate. And waffles!
Surprising Chardonnay
The market also introduced a unique, new holiday beverage: “Chocolate in a Bottle.” It’s a sparkling chardonnay that looks like champagne and tastes like chocolate. Can you say decadent? The vendor offered a free sample to adults, and we thought it was worth sampling. Winning!
It may sound strange, but it is delicious and the ultimate gift. What better way to celebrate the new year? We polished off our bottle rather quickly at our New Year’s fest. It was the most unusual beverage I have ever tried. If you love Belgian chocolate and champagne (okay, sparkling wine), it should be on your shopping list. In fact, order a case!
But enough about the adult goodies, how about the kiddos?
More to See and Do
For those who wanted to keep the kids amused, there were two novel carousels with some fascinating and quirky animals. This is NOT your grandparents’ merry-go-round. And there was “The Funny Christmas Ice Monster” that kids could walk through. It was located adjacent to the Ferris wheel, so there were two kid-friendly attractions right next to each other.
There was also ice skating or try curling. Easy-peasy when you headed to Place de la Monnaie, where you could also find an après-ski village with lots of food and drink. Yes, there were grown-up activities, too.
Is It Really the Best Market in the World?
Okay, I feel compelled to add my two cents about the Christmas market. I’ve been to so many in Europe: Aachen, Cologne, Ghent, Leuven, Strasbourg, and Trier, to name a few. Each one has its unique, distinct atmosphere, from the medieval magic of Monschau, Germany, to the “Cathedral City” of Cologne with its wide variety of individual markets all around the city., each with a theme of its own. It’s so hard to choose a favorite with so many offerings.
I was surprised when Big 7 Travel, a popular travel website, named the Brussels Christmas Market the best in the world. Ah, no. Not in my opinion! I wonder what criteria they used.
The Brussels market was fun. There were lots of stands, culinary treats, and variety, and you could enjoy a great view from atop “The View” Ferris wheel.
While isn’t my favorite market, it is worth visiting whether you are in town for a business trip, vacation, staycation, or night out. And there is so many other things to do in this fascinating city.
Cool Things to Buy at the Market
Brussels Christmas Market offered a wonderful collection of things to buy. My favorites included colorful ceramic plates (seen above) with a raised center that you can use to grate everything from garlic and ginger to nutmeg. They are made in Spain by a company called Tipliki. Priced at 15 euros for the smallest plate, it makes a fabulous gift for your favorite cook. If you missed them at the market, you can order them online.
There were also comfy alpaca socks, soaps, Belgian candy and nuts, seasonal outerwear, jewelry, handbags, marzipan and nougats, and chili sauce of every imaginable strength. Yes, you can find excellent chili sauce in Belgium!.
There were gorgeous rolling pins from Poland that let you work with dough to create decorative cookies. They are pricey, but a wonderful holiday gift. And the vendor offered metal cutouts so that you can create your cookies in any shape: hearts, trees, animals, squares, circles, etc.
Plan Ahead
The world is traveling again, and you may be thinking about your plans for 2023. Get out your calendar and pencil in Europe for December. Yes, the Christmas markets are a must-do!
I wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2023. May all your dreams and wishes come true.
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