Christmas Market in Montreux
December 22, 2015
LOCATION: Montreux, Vaud, Switzerland
There’s nothing better than a Christmas market to get you in the holiday spirit. Thousands of people flock to Marché de Noël in Montreux each year for it’s vast array of Christmas gifts and delicacies. We’ve already been here 3 times… not nearly enough in my opinion. I enjoy the crowds during the holidays, it means folks are keeping the Christmas spirit alive and spending more time with friends and family.
I could mention the trinkets, knick-knacks, and souvenirs sold in little decorated chalets along the lake, but we were possessed by the fragrant spices trailing through the market. It started with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and nutmeg all mixed in warm red wine, "vin chaud", we know it as mulled wine. It’s the perfect drink to keep you warm as you follow your nose to the next mouth-watering chalet. We indulged in émincé de poulet à la zurichoise cooked in large iron pots (chicken and white sauce, a recipe from Zurich), warm coconut macaroons and a platter of dried meats and cheese. Oh so satisfying. Just thinking about it makes me wish I were there.
The Christmas market in Montreux opens days before Thanksgiving: a holiday that doesn’t exist in Switzerland. Can you believe it? No more fat turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and family gathered around the table saying “Thank you Jesus for being so awesome”. I promise you Thanksgiving will be back in our home once we have a kid or two. Until then, we’ll start playing Christmas music mid-November, as we did (I did) this year. And next year I’ll visit the Christmas market as soon as it opens.
Last night Gary played Bing Cosby’s White Christmas album. He sat me down near the tree and handed me a parcel that arrived earlier that day. I wasn’t sure if it was from him or my family, but he was really excited to see me open it. Inside were 10 individually wrapped presents and a snippet of cat fur in a Ziploc bag. Family… only family would do something like that. She has a cat that is most likely plotting ways to kill me as we speak, it’s the scariest cat known to mankind. But it made me feel closer to home, not the fur, just the ridiculous things siblings do to remind you where you come from. I have a feeling some of the presents will be as comical as the fur, but I’ll have to wait and see Christmas morning!
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
I could mention the trinkets, knick-knacks, and souvenirs sold in little decorated chalets along the lake, but we were possessed by the fragrant spices trailing through the market. It started with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and nutmeg all mixed in warm red wine, "vin chaud", we know it as mulled wine. It’s the perfect drink to keep you warm as you follow your nose to the next mouth-watering chalet. We indulged in émincé de poulet à la zurichoise cooked in large iron pots (chicken and white sauce, a recipe from Zurich), warm coconut macaroons and a platter of dried meats and cheese. Oh so satisfying. Just thinking about it makes me wish I were there.
The Christmas market in Montreux opens days before Thanksgiving: a holiday that doesn’t exist in Switzerland. Can you believe it? No more fat turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and family gathered around the table saying “Thank you Jesus for being so awesome”. I promise you Thanksgiving will be back in our home once we have a kid or two. Until then, we’ll start playing Christmas music mid-November, as we did (I did) this year. And next year I’ll visit the Christmas market as soon as it opens.
Last night Gary played Bing Cosby’s White Christmas album. He sat me down near the tree and handed me a parcel that arrived earlier that day. I wasn’t sure if it was from him or my family, but he was really excited to see me open it. Inside were 10 individually wrapped presents and a snippet of cat fur in a Ziploc bag. Family… only family would do something like that. She has a cat that is most likely plotting ways to kill me as we speak, it’s the scariest cat known to mankind. But it made me feel closer to home, not the fur, just the ridiculous things siblings do to remind you where you come from. I have a feeling some of the presents will be as comical as the fur, but I’ll have to wait and see Christmas morning!
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
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Michelle
December 23, 2015