The festival of Christmas in North America is celebrated with as much fanfare as in other parts of the world. The festive season here too features much good food, shopping, gift-giving and much merry making. However in several parts of the USA, Christmas is celebrated during the same season as other holidays like Hannukah and Kwanzaa as a result of which the festive season is often referred to as the Holiday Season with ‘Happy Holidays’ being the popular greeting that is exchanged at this time as it encompasses all the various groups who celebrate major festivals at this time of the year.
Shopping for gifts is a major activity during the weeks running up to Christmas as gift exchanging figures prominently during the festive season. However unlike in Europe, cities in North America don’t really host Christmas Markets. Though in cities like New York there are some markets that are held for a month before Christmas which enable people to do their entire shopping at one place. However these markets are not known as Christmas Markets but ‘Holiday Markets’ as they feature a wide range of goods apart from kitschy tree ornaments and baubles. So if you have left your Christmas gift shopping for the end the market is a good place to find all your gifts in one spot without having to traipse through numerous stores.
The most famous of the New York City markets is the Holiday Market which is held in Union Square on 14th Street. This area is usually the site of a green market but for a month before Christmas it is taken over by nearly a hundred vendors who sell a wide array of gifts at the market. The products sold at this popular holiday market include imported and handcrafted holiday ornaments, antique prints, fine arts, unique toys, gourmet foods and beverages, baked goods, handmade jewelry, candles, scented oils, pet accessories, apparel, soft furnishings and much more. The Union Square Market this year will be held from November 22nd to December 24th.
A similar Holiday Market is also held at Bryant Park located in Midtown Manhattan. Bryant Park is renowned as the location for the staging of the spring and fall fashion weeks but during the Christmas season it is transformed into a winter wonderland with a gigantic Christmas tree and an ice skating rink which has free access for the public. It also hosts a holiday market which features more than a hundred boutiques, artisans, designers and food merchants from around the world. The Bryant Park Market is scheduled to be held from November 22nd to December 28th this year. Other Holiday markets are held at locales like Columbus Circle and Grand Central Station as well. If you are planning a trip to New York City to do some holiday shopping you might want to check out the truly tempting rates being offered by hotels like the Bedford Hotel which is located in Midtown Manhattan close to the Holiday Markets.
If North America doesn’t really have adorable Christmas Markets like those which are found in Europe it has something that is truly unique and that is its phenomena of Christmas Shops. These Christmas Shops are year round Christmas stores which can be found in various cities and towns of North America. These Christmas shops present an incongruous sight in the summer months as they are dressed up for Christmas and have Santa Clauses twirling around even in the oppressive summer heat. However these Christmas Shops have a constant supply of Christmas goods and they represent an ideal way to escape the Christmas rush if you plan and do your Christmas shopping at times other than the end of the year.
One of the most famous Christmas Shops in the US is the one that belongs to the Yankee Candle Company. This company is engaged in producing scented candles and home fragrances and it has its flagship store in South Deerfield in Massachusetts. This store is a popular tourist attraction as it has a all year round Bavarian Christmas Village filled with decorated Christmas trees and a Santa’s toy Factory which has animated elves. The store also has a toy train that runs through the workshop and many Christmas shops like the Kringle Market and the Nutcracker castle. The company has opened a second flagship store in Williamsburg in Virginia as well. If you want to visit this store on your holiday to the US you could stay at a hotel at Boston and then drive out to the store. Try a hotel like the Sheraton Newton Hotel in Boston if you are looking for accommodation in Boston or you could visit the store in Williamsburg by booking a stay at a hotel like the Williamsburg Hospitality House.
All the Disney theme Parks also have year round Christmas Shops that feature quirky products like Mickey and Minnie Tree ornaments. The Disney Christmas Shops are known as Disney’s Days of Christmas. Yet another chain of Christmas shops called The Christmas Tree Shops has outlets in various US states to provide a year round Christmas shopping experience to those who want to avoid the immense stress associated with shopping at the end of the year. The fact that this chain is rapidly expanding seems to indicate that there are many folks in North America who want the convenience of shopping for Christmas knick-knacks at times other than at the end of the year.
This concept of Christmas shops exists in Canada as well where a year round Christmas shop exists on Banff Avenue near the Banff National Park. This quaint and colorful store which stocks all things associated with Christmas is called the Spirit of Christmas and it is a must see on any visit to Banff National Park. If you need a hotel on your trip to Banff you might want to try one of the many hotels located within close proximity of the park like the Caribou Lodge and Spa which offer attractive rates throughout the year. A similar year round Christmas store called Christmas by the Sea is located in the area overlooking Halifax harbor in town of Halifax in the state of Nova Scotia in Eastern Canada.
These Christmas shops offer a convenient way to escape the stress that is usually associated with shopping at Christmas when stores can be extremely busy and crowded.
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 at 2:25 pm and is filed under North America, Travel Ideas. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Thank you for posting this just in time for Christmas shopping. Definitely gives us a good idea for gifts this holiday season.
Merry Christmas!
December 10th, 2008 at 3:57 am
I love Christmas and all the beauty surrounding it.
December 18th, 2008 at 7:04 am
I can’t believe Christmas is less than a week away…thanks for posting this!
December 20th, 2008 at 2:45 am
I did all my Christmas shopping online this year. It’s was painless but you do have to make sure you get your orders in early.
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:45 am
Hi there, i agree with James, i did all my xmas shopping online. In fact id like to share a good site i found there other day. Its really simple but good.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Nice ideas, Christmas is the best season of the year for me! But now.. February is just around the corner for Valentine’s day, another gift-giving occasion. Drop by the link — this might give you guys an idea on what to give. Happy New Year to all! =)
January 8th, 2009 at 2:27 am
Yes James, online shopping is painless but many times you want to touch and feel what you are buying. Moreover if it is apparel I feel it is also important to try on for size as sometimes the sizing is not really standard. I also love all kinds of markets especially the holiday ones!
February 27th, 2009 at 5:36 am
I visited a world famous Christmas shop in Rothenberg Germany. The store contains a “Weinachtsdorf” or small Christmas village and is stupendous. This was the most amazing Christmas shop I have experienced. I highly recommend anyone to visit this 500 year old unchanged town and spend a long weekend. Some traditions will last for centuries.
March 5th, 2009 at 11:48 am
I do all of my Christmas shopping online, and have for many years. The crowds in my area are just atrocious. Still, I try to get to some of the specialty stores because there are some very unique products that my family appreciates more than generic crap…
March 5th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Thanks Micah that was just to point of the post that Christmas shops and holiday markets have an element of surprise.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:15 am
It’s really nice when someone finds a very special and unique gift for you during the holidays or for your birthday. Unfortunately, much of my extended family loves to “re-gift”, and don’t do any unique shopping. I try to get something with a personal touch for others, but for some this principal seems to elude them.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:27 am
It’s really nice when someone finds a very special and unique gift for you during the holidays or for your birthday. Unfortunately, much of my extended family loves to “re-gift”, and don’t do any unique shopping. I try to get something with a personal touch for others, but for some this principal seems to elude them.