London has had Christmas decorations since Halloween, but it wasn’t until Liebling and I went to the Christmas market being held in London’s Hyde Park that I truly felt as though I was in the holiday spirit.

Last year I had a taste of Germany’s Christmas markets when Liebling took me to the Charlottenburg Schloss market in Berlin, so I was excited to see how London’s version would measure up.
Held from November 18th to January 3rd, the Hyde Park Christmas market, known officially as “Winter Wonderland”, is easily accessible via public transportation. I met Liebling at Hyde Park Corner tube stop, and, after exiting we found ourselves entering the market on foot not even five minutes later.

Upon entering we were confronted by a thick wall of revellers, which was probably a good thing as the night air was brisk, nearly frigid. We soon forgot the cold and the crowds, though. We were too mesmerized by the bright displays and the tantalizing array of succulent treats. The best part of any Christmas market for me has got to be the food. From potato pancakes, to churros, to pizza, calorie-filled, feel-good food was in abundance.

But Liebling, the good German that he is, wasn’t interested in the food just yet. He had one thing on his mind… gluhwein. Because to him, a Christmas market just isn’t a Christmas market without a bit of hot wine to warm the soul.

His desire fulfilled, we began our hunt for food. But it wasn’t long until we found exactly what we were looking for:

We ordered two white bratwurst, accompanied by a thick white bun and slathered by ketchup and mustard, and began to chow down.

We then strolled along the sprawling midway, taking in all the sights and sounds. Joy and merriment surrounded us; children laughed gaily and amorous couples smooched, held hands, and took goofy pictures. The neon lights of the rides illuminted the dark sky, and squeals of excitement and fear could be heard from the skating rink, where beginners and pros alike tried their hand at gliding on ice.

I was tempted to get on one of the rides, so enticing was the backdrop, but my very full stomach and rampant motion sickness prevented me from satisfying my desire. The roller coasters at Winter Wonderland reminded me very much of the ones I rode when I went to Stockholm last summer.

We instead took in more of our surroundings as we strolled, making a few quirky discoveries that included a bar built into a carousel and a market stall selling wooden ties.

After a couple of hours of walking through the market, it was time to head back home. But not before Liebling stopped in another biergarten to get one last gluhwein for the road. The massive beer garden was as trendy as it was cozy: it even had a DJ spinning tunes!

I highly recommend checking out the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland if you have the chance. I can officially say, after having visited the market, that I’m excited for Christmas. I love this time of year!

Are you a fan of Christmas markets? Ever been to one? What types of things get you into the holiday spirit?

Lauren Pope