christkindl market

every year we go to christkindl market in mifflinburg.  the festival closes off 3 blocks on a side street, and little shacks contain vendors who sell everything from food, jewelry, wine, soap, and other goodies.  we went to our first market about 10 years ago, and i think we only missed one since.

i save my pin money for this festival, becos the local spinners and knitters guilds sell their products.  i love buying local yarns.  here's what i brought home this year:



aisling yarns, fingering weight, in "finnegan's rainbow:...




...sportweight in "fahrenheit 451"...




and "the green mile", fingering weight.

i got yarn from this vendor last year in "nightmare before christmas".  it wasn't until this year that i realized that most of her yarns are named after movies.  how cool is that?




i also got three sock patterns, "pointelle and partridge", "lacy leaf" and "european zigzag sock".  i can't wait to use one of these patterns with my PSOTMC!

i'm not sure if i'll use the new yarns with the patterns.  i guess when i get the yarn wound, i'll decide whether they are sock or shawl worthy!

yes, i'm keeping the yarn in hanks, and will wind them on the swift that santy brings me in two weeks (i hope!)



the other thing i buy at christkindl market is food.  there is an authentic german food stand that serves all kinds of wursts and schnitzels.  we try to get there early becos the order line usually spans a few stalls.  hubby got a spicy sausage and a weiner schnitzel sandwich.  other years they had platters where you get a sampling of all the sausages and schnitzels, plus sides of warm potato salad and kraut.  apparently they ran out of something that went with the platter becos hubby said the owner tore down the sign for it when he got there.  i told hubby they should have two huts, their stand is so popular.

we always get goulasch.  basically chunks of beef in a spicy tomato sauce, it is poured over a ball of bread stuffing.  OMBob, this is food for the gods.  the beef is tender and the sauce has enough kick to make it interesting.  they offer two kinds of paprika to sprinkle on top too.  this stand used to sell chai tea many years ago too.  this year i bought two servings to take home.  i'm toying with tinkering with the recipe, so i can try to make it too.  it seems to be the perfect crock pot recipe.  i think what i love most about this dish is the stuffing ball.  love it love it love it.

this year i also got a quart of chicken pot pie from the local 4H, christmas streudel cookies, a wedding whoopie pie, kettle corn and soft pretzel nuggets.  mom got catcus fries, and the boy got a huge funnel cake.  if you go away from this place hungry, it's your own damn fault, becos they serve up everything.

i also got my favorite soaps from two mules soaps (tea tree deluxe and anise java mint).  mom and i got a big stuffed dachshund puppet for the kids - it was too cute to pass up.  i missed getting lipbalm from the bee stand, and i'm sad that i couldn't get Kinder Surprise eggs from the german vendor.   i always get those chocolate eggs to fill the boy's stocking.  guess i'll have to see if amazon sells them and if not, if hubby's auntie in canada can get them for us.

no trip to christkindl market is complete without seeing the christmas pyramid:




the boy was an absolute blister yesterday, and the kiddos, who are not comfortable in their winter coats or being up past their bedtime, didn't enjoy the festivities as much as the grownups did (although the kiddos did chow heartily on the goulasch and peroghies!)



how appropriate, that the boy's eyes make him appear possessed.  perhaps that explains why he was such a big PITA there.

there is a larger christkindl market in bethlehem.  we talk about going there every year, but then time slips by, we forget, and it's too late to make hotel reservations or get time off from work.  hopefully next year, we'll get there.

i highly recommend this festival.  it is a wonderful way to support local businesses, there's great entertainment, and if you can tolerate the cold and occasional ice and snow, a great outing for the family.