The Stockholm open-air museum Skansen will host a Christmas market with traditional foods, music, and festivities.
(Anna Yu / Skansen)
Destinations
Julmarknad Christmas Bazaar
CHICAGO Dec. 1-2 Swedish heritage is cherished in this annual bazaar at the Swedish American Museum Center. Along with the exhibits of early immigrant life in the upper Midwest and special children's exhibits, the bazaar offers handicrafts and Swedish art and objects. A spiced wine punch, or glögg, heart-shaped ginger cookies, and saffron buns will be offered in the Kaffestuga cafe. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for children.
5211 North Clark St., 773-728-8111, samac.org.
Skansen
STOCKHOLM Dec. 1-2, 8-9, 13, 15-16
The month of December is full of celebration here. For an authentic holiday experience, this open-air museum re-creates life in the 18th and 19th centuries. The feast of Lucia, the patron saint of Sweden, is marked with the crowning of a queen early in the month and then a procession and festivities Dec. 13, the actual holiday. Along with candles that represent the saint, coffee, saffron buns, and ginger cookies will be offered. A Christmas market will take place on the three weekends, with shopping, live music, and demonstrations of traditional Swedish Christmas foods. Special menus are offered in restaurants, and mustards, breads, honey, ginger cookies, and other treats are for sale. Admission is about $10 for adults, and $4.50 for children.
On the island of Djurgården in the middle of Stockholm, 011-46-8-442-80-00, skansen.se.
Budapest Christmas
BUDAPEST Nov. 24-Dec. 29 One of the largest in Europe, this market is celebrating its ninth year. Handicrafts and artisanal goods will be on sale in Vörösmarty Square in Pest. Stage shows, puppet theaters, musical events, and exhibitions of crèches will be on tap. And for the palate, honey cake, mulled wine, doughnuts, strudel and other pastries baked in adobe ovens at the site. Admission is free.
011-36-1-328-40-89, budapestinfo.hu.
Chocolate Seductions
CHARLESTON, S.C. Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28 A walking tour fueled by chocolate sounds like a perfect prelude to the holiday season. Each Friday in December, Chocolate Seductions will tour the city with stops at restaurants, bakeries, and specialty shops where pastry chefs and chocolate makers will demonstrate how to make chocolates, desserts, and other confections. Along with learning the history and lore of chocolate, participants will taste desserts at such restaurants as Tristan, Charleston Grill, Carolina's, and Oak Steakhouse. Amanda Dew Manning, who leads the tours, also does other culinary history and kitchen tours of the city. Cost is $60 per person.
www.zerve.com/culinarytour/seduce, 212-209-3370 for tickets.
Cap Classique and Champagne Festival
FRANSCHHOEK, South Africa Dec. 1-2 The country's wines are beginning to catch on and this festival may help do the same for its sparkling vintages. Sparklers from producers such as Graham Beck, Krone, Môreson, Pierre Jourdan, and Villiera will be sampled along with French Champagnes such as Mumm and Laurent Perrier. Oysters, strawberries, and foie gras will be some of the foods offered in an outdoor venue on the lawns surrounding Franschhoek's Huguenot Monument. The city's restaurants will also match menus to pair with sparkling wine. Festival cost is about $23, which includes a tasting flute and a book of tasting vouchers.
franschhoek.org.za, 011-27-21-876-3603.
Events are canceled, rescheduled, or sold out; call or check online to confirm. Alison Arnett can be reached at alacarte59@aol.com.
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