What I discovered at a Chicago Christmas market

After living in Germany for a decade, I can safely say I know a thing or two about Christmas markets. Although I'm no expert, I've sipped my fair share of mulled wine and purchased an artisan-made wooden figurine or two.

Could the Chicago Christkindlmarket on Daley Plaza live up to its reputation as one of the most authentic German-style Christmas markets in the country? I arrived in the Windy City on December 19 during my holiday trip back to the Midwest to find out.

My investigative team included my two sisters Christine and Marie and my mom, Deb, who may just be the most Christmas-loving person on the planet. Taking the four-hour trip from Michigan to Chicago, Illinois, was her idea and it was not the first time she'd planned a vacation specifically around a German-style Christmas market. One year ago we took a Christmas market-themed boat cruise to towns along the Rhine river. It's her thing.

A Christmas market between skyscrapers

The Christkindlmarket on Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago is the largest of the city's three "holiday markets" and is put on by the nonprofit events arm of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest. For many Chicagoans, a visit to one of the markets is an annual outing. Last year they were attended by 1.5 million people, and this year the count will likely be higher as a third market opened in the suburbs.

As we approached, my eye was drawn to the giant menorah rising up next to the stalls and a sign wishing people a Happy Chanukah. After all, this is a nation of many religions and wishing people "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas" is the more politically correct seasonal greeting.

I wasn't used to seeing skyscrapers rising up around a Christmas market in Germany, or being surrounded by the nasal twang of the midwestern US accent. Aside from that, I felt I could be back in Deutschland as I smelled the scent of roast sausages wafting through the air and observed wooden stalls holding artisan-made goods, many of which were brought over from Germany.

Bavarian inspiration

The Daley Plaza Christkindlmarket was inspired by one of Germany's most famous Christmas markets: The Christkindelsmarkt in the Bavarian city of Nuremberg. In addition to (almost) sharing the name, the Chicago version also uses the original red and white striped wooden booths, which were constructed in Europe. Like the Nuremberg market, there's also a "Christkind" — an angel-like being that is the traditional gift-giver in German-speaking countries. In the early years, they even flew the Nuremberg Christkind over from Germany for a pre-market celebration.

These days, Chicago has its own Christkind who can be spotted one day a week wearing her angelic costume and greeting guests. "It's actually funny because people come to the market and they call her queen or angel. So we've really been working on sharing that tradition more and people seem to really like it," said Leila Schmidt of German American Events LLC.

But let us move on to a topic that by now is surely on your mind: mulled wine. Arguably a Christmas market essential. Another point for authenticity is the fact that the market's organizers import mulled wine straight from Nuremberg. My sister Marie took her first sip and declared it "sweet and warming." The $10 (€9.40) per cup price was steep compared to about €5 ($5) per cup at most Berlin markets (including deposit), but at least you got to keep the annual souvenir mug.

We browsed familiar shops like ornament purveyor Käthe Wohlfahrt and checked out a stall selling cuckoo clocks and nutcrackers from the Black Forest. A massive line formed outside the Hermann-the-German sweet shop, which sold candies from Germany and the Netherlands, at a markup. Yes, the prices were significantly higher than markets I've been to in Germany, but judging by the large number of visitors on a Monday afternoon, the demand was certainly there.

From East Germany to selling beer steins in the US

About 60% of the vendors at the markets actually come over from Germany each year to work, and I found it fun to learn about the German products from them while in Chicago. The Christkindlmarket was initially conceived as a way to promote German-American trade, according to organizers, although there are now vendors from all over the world.

Frieder Frötscher from Plauen, Saxony, has been there from the start. He returns every year and now operates three stalls, one selling chocolate-covered fruits and marzipan, another with German food and yet another selling decorative beer mugs.

"The first couple years it was very exciting to be in the US because I grew up in East Germany behind the Wall and we never thought we would visit any Western country, especially the US," Frötscher told me.

It's very different to be a retailer in the US he said. He feels people are more open-minded and likely to give tips. As a result, he feels his work is more appreciated. "That's really important for someone who is running business," he added.

One thing still makes Frötscher chuckle: "Americans expect that every German drinks out of a beer stein. I don't know where that comes from." It's certainly lucky for him because he now spends around six months of the year in the US traveling to various Oktoberfest celebrations and other events selling the decorative mugs.

Fusion food

There was a variety of food on offer from Berliner currywurst sausage to leberkäse, a kind of meatloaf, to döner kebab and of course soft pretzels sold by a vendor from Bad Oeynhausen. Some menu items seemed to be German-American fusion — what was a "German cheeseburger" I wondered? Is curry meatloaf a German thing that I had totally missed?

We made our selections and ate while warming up in the heated "timber tent," which was made of plastic colored to look like an Alpine lodge. It was weirdly convincing, yet not as elegant as the "Timber Haus" made out of actual wood next door. My sister Christine declared her bratwurst with sauerkraut "absolutely delicious and worth $9," and went back for a second one.

As for the results of this Christmas market investigation, I referred to my mom who was literally radiating holiday cheer. Her answer? "Let's come back again in a few hours."

Edited by: Benjamin Restle