Giftsmas Market Season has commenced and Himself and I took ourselves off to our first-for-the-season at the Westergasfabriek over the weekend. It was filled with some of the most amazing hand-made products and art!
I love this stuffed toy stall, she makes the most wonderful flamingos! Beautiful stuffies are quite popular though, and there were more to be found just a few stalls away, both for sale, and as make-your-own project packs for a very good price!
I have discovered the hard way that ugly Christmas sweater parties really are an industry! And why make your own, or rely on old Aunty Margaret to make you something hideous, when you can just buy your own that’s more to your tastes?
The hall is well decked out for the occasion, and there are fairy lights everywhere! Along with trees, and gluhwein, and some amazing savoury snacks!
There have been a few times while walking around markets like this that I’ve wondered whether my tree decorating has gone in the correct direction. There are some truly distinctive handmade ornaments that you can purchase.
More trees with even more lights! (I’m utterly convinced that we need more lights on our tree …)
Conveniently for those that hadn’t procured one yet, there was even a stall when you could buy your trees from! Here is a true Dutch gentleman transporting his tree in the traditional Dutch way, with his bakfiets. (Bicycle/Tricycle with a built-in wagon, generally employed in the conveyance of children.)
Over-sized ornaments, fairy lights, greenery, when combined with the red and white awnings are just so festive!
I may have given in and indulged in a couple of these hand painted ornaments, they were just beautiful, and the painting so intricate! I wouldn’t mind some of the hanging lights either, but in all honesty we have nowhere to put them in our tiny apartment!
Well, the season is well and truly underway, and the date is drawing nigh. Have you been opening your advent calendar? Are you ready for the onslaught of guests? Or are you on the side that needs hostess gifts?
I’m hoping to tour all the city lights for you in the not too distant future, until then, the Amsterdam Tommy Hilfiger building wishes you a Merry New Yule!
ghoti industries 
The market looks lovely! So many things to see and so many tempting things (the pink whale in the second photo! So cute!). Went to one of the Christmas markets in our region and saw many things, but none of them so tempting that I couldn’t go home without them.
No advent calendar this year, definitely not ready for the holidays. We got the tree installed in the house today, with decorating to be done tomorrow, so things are gradually feeling a bit more festive!
She had the most amazing dragon stuffie! I was just trying to think of who I could make it for!?!
Warm up some mulled wine and you’ll feel the season more 😉 or Hot Buttered Rum! I can’t think where I learnt that one …
I have a friend that works in the Hilfiger building!
We visited a bunch of the kerstmarkten here in Utrecht yesterday. So many pretty things! I did buy one of those stars, after meaning to for years. But mainly we just bought gluhwein and poffertjes. 🙂
I was trying to be so good! I just bought some cured meats to have with cheese and crackers for Boxing Day. The market I’m looking forward to is coming up this weekend on Museumplein out the front of the Rijksmuseum!