Toronto Christmas Market

Yesterday was mom's 74th birthday. We decided on an outing to Toronto to celebrate the big day. First up was the Toronto Christmas market.

A Christmas market is a street market which celebrates the traditional sights, sounds and scents of Christmas and is staged during the weeks leading up to Christmas. These markets originated in Germany, beginning in the early 1400's, and are now being held in countries all over the world.

The romance and magic of a traditional Christmas market happens through Dec. 21 at the Distiller District Christmas Market. Inspired by the Old World, this free annual event captures the tradition, heritage and charm of a European Christmas market. It showcases locally handcrafted products while family friendly entertainment includes musicians, carollers and children's choirs.

The 16th century European custom of hanging a Christmas tree upside down may predate the current tradition of standing a tree upright.

“Originally trees were decorated and hung upside down from the rafters.” Say Elizabeth Silverthorne, an expert on Christmas traditions.

Upside down trees or at least turning upside down the tip of the tree, also became a Polish tradition known as “podlaznik”, from the term sneaking.  Siverthorne notes, “The Tip of a small fir or spruce tree was hung upside down from the ceiling and decorated with apples, nuts, candies and wafers."  Prior to the 19th century, it would have been customary for young couples in the south of Poland to sneak a kiss under the podlaznik prior to Christmas, and then on Christmas day lower the little tree so that the tree’s goodies could be handed out to children.

Comments

[peppylady (Dora)]

I don't see any snow. Last weekend there was two craft show and lot vendors were selling a lot of items.
Tell your mom "Happy Birthday"

Coffee is on

[Kayte]

Nice outing! I never realized this before, but your mom and my dad have the same birthday, although not the same year, his was in 1933, so he would have been 81 this year. Happy Birthday to your mom!

[JDeQ]

We don't often have snow until after Christmas Dora - Ithink it is the moderating impact of Lake Ontario.

Kayte - I can't help but think of how odd it must have felt for those December 7th babies to share their birthday with Pearl Harbor. Sort of how September 11th babies must feel in this generation . . .

[Kayte]

You are right about that Pearl Harbor birthday sadness, I know my dad always said it was hard to feel happy and celebrate that day. And yes, September 11 follows those same sentiments. I guess through the years it has been rather nice for me (history lovers that we are here at our house) to think first of my father's birthday and then second of Pearl Harbor. Not lessening it's importance, but focusing on my first feelings for the day first. Something like that. I hope you find that as well.