CHRISTMAS MARKETS: BACK TO CHILDHOOD?

Surely, more than one person will agree with me that the older we get, the less we believe in the magic of the holiday (Christmas and New Year). When we were children, we were eagerly waiting for the first Christmas star to appear in the sky and for us to receive long-awaited gifts from Santa Claus (in Poland, he is called Saint Nicholas). Now Christmas has lost its magic. Basically, everyone around is busy only with preparations for the holiday - people run around the shops and look for gifts for their family and friends, not forgetting to think about what new dishes to cook for Christmas Eve this year. Living in constant stress and on the run, we forget about the most important thing - a moment of peace and relaxation even during the pre-holiday bustle. By the way, it is very easy to find and restore the lost harmony with yourself - just take a walk through the Christmas market. This magical place allows us to forget that we are in a big city. For a moment we will be transported to a fairy tale, and we will walk there for a long time between the wonderful and colorful shopping arcades. Maybe it is there that we will find some completely unique gift that will please our loved ones?

I remember very well that when I was a little girl, I watched cartoons where Santa Claus and his irreplaceable assistants handed out presents to all the children, and the magic of the moment was emphasized by unusually beautiful Christmas winter motifs. Well, now instead of watching cartoons, you can go to any Christmas fair. More than one generation has witnessed this wonderful pre-holiday tradition, when cities turn into a fairy tale. Tourists from all over the world adore Christmas fairs and come there specifically to try traditional dishes of a given country, buy a hand-made Christmas tree toy, as well as other Christmas and New Year decorations. Undoubtedly, all participants of Christmas fairs are in for amazing and unforgettable emotions. Some compare these feelings with absolute purification (catharsis). And for some, fairs help to forget about their everyday problems, at least for a while. After all, there is something magical in all this pre-holiday bustle. Many cities have already been decorated for Christmas. For example, in Gdansk, the six-meter Angel Mill is decorated with moving figures of angels and Santa Claus. But in Wroclaw, you can try delicacies that you can’t find anywhere else in Poland. French pancakes, Hungarian bagels, Austrian cheeses and Dutch herring are at your service. In Bialystok, our attention will undoubtedly be drawn to the wonderful stained glass windows and crocheted lace decorations. At the Krakow Fair, you will feel like at any other major European fair – like in a fairy tale! The Krakow Fair is similar to the best fairs in Europe, which are traditionally held in Berlin, Prague and Budapest. Krakow is also home to the most famous Christmas crib in Poland, which, by the way, even has its own museum. The crib is made of completely safe (and very light!) materials, and the design meets all quality standards. Besides, it's just a really beautiful place.

Christmas and New Year usually remind us of childhood, our dreams and wishes. So let's make sure that our dreams don't remain dreams, but become reality! Of course, a Christmas market can help us with this. Where else can you meet a real Santa Claus surrounded by snowflakes and Christmas reindeer from a harness, and make a wish? That's right, only in a fairy tale! In other words, at a Christmas market. Welcome!