ANTLER DECOR

The Docklands Christmas Market 2010 is a unique celebration of yuletide cheer with a magical German twist
The Christmas markets of Germany are famous for evoking an unparalleled magical festive feeling. This year that authentic Germanic magic is coming to the IFSC in Dublin's Docklands at the Docklands Christmas Market, running from December 3rd to December 22nd. Now in its fifth year, the Docklands Christmas Market is being brought to Dublin by German events company, Go GmbH and will now extend to 20 days, featuring some of Germany's most experienced Christmas marketers.

The Docklands Christmas Market will be filled with brightly decorated wooden huts and chalets selling an array of unique Christmas gifts, including beautiful Christmas decorations, hand made arts and crafts, and other unusual stocking fillers. The Docklands will play host to almost one hundred German traders as well as plenty of home grown Irish stalls and an exciting mix of African traders.


There is of course, more to this festive event than shopping. Spilling over with all the traditional trimmings usually only found in the Winter markets of Munich, Berlin and Hamburg, visitors can enjoy the fresh aroma of roasted nuts and raisins, and the delicious scent of lit beeswax candles. Warm your insides with a glass of steaming Gluhein wine and take in the brilliant hues of the German candy stalls. In the evening, the market is softly lit with hundreds of Christmas lights and shoppers are entertained by story tellers, carol singers and bands playing seasonal tunes, all under the watchful eye of Santa while he offers rides on a slow turning carousel, thought to be as old as himself.

Real Christmas trees are very difficult to manage by yourself! Thankfully, the man at the tree farm chopped it down for me and put it in my car. Then, I was lucky enough to arrive home at the same time as the nice guy from downstairs who helped me get it up to my 3rd floor apartment. After that though, it was all me. I drastically overestimated the height of my living room ceilings and had to cut two feet off of the bottom of the tree. Then, I had to get the stupid thing up into the tree stand by myself. That was a job and a half. I am covered from head to toe in pine sap and bits of tree, but I finally managed to get the tree set up. I'm going to rest a while before I try decorating it.