ByKaren Carmichael
Published December 8, 2023
• 8 min read
Europe, especially Germany, is rightly famed for its Christmas markets that bring a fairy tale sense of wonder to the season. But you don’t have to journey abroad for holiday magic—these fairs in the United States showcase European-style festivities while celebrating their cities’ cultural heritage.
Kerstmarkt, Holland, Michigan
Through December 16
Founded by Dutch immigrants in the 1840s roughly 30 miles from Grand Rapids, Holland is a pocket of the Netherlands in the U.S. The town even sports a wooden shoe factory. “The Dutch culture is alive and well in the community, featuring the Tulip Time festival in May and buildings like our working windmill that reflect the Dutch heritage,” says resident Kris Van Haitsma.
Holland’s Kerstmarkt (Dutch for Christmas market) has been a beloved annual tradition for 26 years. Wooden booths fill the 8th Street Marketplace downtown, offering goods from area producers. Look for handmade items from pens to brooms and wool socks from a sheep farm, says Van Haitsma, whose Mud Lake Farm whips up an elderberry chai soda just for the Kerstmarkt.
Along with finding one-of-a-kind gifts, you can sample Dutch delicacies like stroopwafels (caramel-filled waffle cookies); meet Sinterklaas, the Dutch Santa Claus; and listen to handbell concerts and carolers dressed in Dickens-era attire.
Texas Christkindl Market, Arlington, Texas
Through December 23
Arlington, Texas, knows all about the spirit of giving. The city “adopted” the Bavarian town of Bad Königshofen in 1951, sending much-needed supplies of food and clothing to refugees fleeing East Germany. A close relationship continues to this day; the sister cities each have a park named after the other.
That history inspired the annual Texas Christkindl Market, now in its 13th year. Arlington partners with another German town, Rothenburg ob der Tauber—considered one of the most enchanting places in Bavaria—to bring holiday magic and European charm to Texas. The event’s biggest vendor, Käthe Wohlfahrt, is also Germany’s largest Christmas goods company. Based in Rothenburg, it produces traditional German decorations, such as delicate glass ornaments, wooden toys, and nutcrackers. While browsing the wares, don’t miss a performance by the Swiss Longhorns, a famed quartet playing 12-foot-long alphorns.
(Here are the best places in the world to visit in December.)
Christkindlmarkt, Carmel, Indiana
Through December 24
The Glühwein Pyramid, a tiered wooden structure strung with lights, is a hallmark of Christmas markets in Germany. The same could be said of this market in the town of Carmel, located just north of Indianapolis. Carmel’s 33-foot-tall, 10-ton version sparkles with 3,000 bulbs, forming the centerpiece of the painstakingly detailed event.
The chief goal is authenticity, says Maria Murphy, the market’s CEO. “The Carmel Christkindlmarkt from its inception has always aimed to recreate the experience of visiting a market in a small town in Germany,” she says. That extends to the food. “One vendor flew to Germany just to bring back a specific kind of bread for his team to taste as they planned out the bread for their döner kebabs,” she adds.
Stop by the Werkstatt to watch renowned woodworkers and glassblowers from Germany at work. Kids can try their own crafts in the Kinderecke, while exhibits in the Kulturecke explore Indiana’s German-American history: The state was a major hub for German immigration in the 19th century. Notable Indianans of German descent include the writer Kurt Vonnegut.
Christmas Village, Baltimore, Maryland
Through December 24
Baltimore’s German heritage dates to its founding. German settlers already living on the Chesapeake Bay were among the city’s first residents when it was established in 1729. By the late 19th century, Baltimore was the second leading port of entry for European immigrants in the U.S., after New York City’s Ellis Island, and a quarter of Baltimoreans were either German-born or had German parents.
That heritage is celebrated at the annual Christmas Village, held in the heart of the Inner Harbor at West Shore Park. Warm up with a glass of hot mulled wine at the Glühwein Pyramid (custom-made by a German craftsman), then peruse the nearly 60 vendors. Be sure to sample the array of sausages at the Best of Wurst stall. Take a spin on the carousel or climb aboard the 65-foot Ferris wheel for views of the Inner Harbor and the lights twinkling across Charm City.
Christmas in Natchez, Mississippi
Through December 27
Founded by the French in 1716 and named for the area’s original Indigenous inhabitants, Natchez is the oldest continuous settlement on the Mississippi River. During the holidays the “Christmas Capital of the South” makes the most of its spectacular location, perched on a bluff overlooking the river.
The monthlong Christmas in Natchez transforms the historic downtown, with a 34-foot-high Christmas tree on Main Street and displays representing Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. The new European Christmas Village offers plenty of stalls for browsing. Every Thursday, join the caroling in Memorial Park, where giant oak trees make a memorable backdrop for lighted holiday displays with nursery rhyme themes.
(Here are 11 of the best Christmas markets in the U.K.)
Solvang Julefest, Solvang, California
Through January 6, 2024
In this town less than an hour’s drive north of Santa Barbara, you can visit Denmark without leaving the U.S. “Solvang is a Danish-settled city, founded in 1911, which still retains its Danish design details, architectural styles, and ambience,” says Mayor Mark Infanti. The annual Julefest offers “a little slice of Danish holidays,” Infanti says.
Guided candlelight tours (select evenings through December 23) take visitors through the streets lined with half-timbered medieval-style buildings. Along the way, join in caroling and learn about Danish traditions and local history.
Marvel at the light and music show held every evening in Solvang Park, or gaze at colorful Christmas lights throughout the Santa Ynez Valley on the Solvang Trolley (hot chocolate included). Back in town, keep your eyes peeled for the nisser (Danish gnomes) hidden around downtown—find all of them for a Solvang keepsake.
Karen Carmichael is a frequent contributor to National Geographic Travel and was the editor for National Geographic’s Best of the World book. Follow her on Instagram.
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