10 Holiday Market Realities That You Don’t See On Instagram
Nothing is more joyful during the holiday season than listening to Christmas music, seeing holiday lights and decorations, and spending time with loved ones. This year, I decided to add to my yearly holiday traditions and jump in, feet-first, and experience my very first Christmas Holiday Market in Southern Virginia.
Overall, it was fun, and I bought a few gifts for my loved ones. The reality is that people participate in holiday markets because they’re fun, but this doesn’t go without its little quirks that can annoy visitors.
Here are 10 things you’ll hate about visiting holiday markets, but you’ll do it anyway—because why not? ‘Tis the Season!
1. Confronting the Weather
Many people love to visit holiday markets. Some are located inside where it’s nice and cozy, while others are outside where the weather can be less than ideal. This doesn’t stop most people though.
People enjoy the atmosphere and holiday vibes when visiting the markets. The weather is not necessarily a showstopper. Visitors will bundle up and go anyway.
2. Crowds Galore
Once you’ve committed to embracing the weather, next is agreeing to the crowds of people. The crowds in holiday markets can become exceedingly overwhelming.
When I visited the holiday market, I was sure to be there when they first opened to hopefully avoid the larger crowds. In just two hours, the market was packed with people shoulder to shoulder.
Despite the busyness of holiday markets, people are willing to face the crowds for the experience.
3. Parking
During the holidays, markets are considered big events in many U.S. States. Finding parking can be challenging due to the overwhelming crowds.
Some holiday markets attract more visitors than others, depending on the location and the hours of operation. From my experience, the holiday market opened at 10 am and the parking lot was three-quarters full when I arrived as the doors opened.
4. Exceeding Your Budget
When visiting the holiday market in Southern Virginia, I told myself that I was only to look and I would only buy if I saw something unique and different. To my surprise and my bank account’s, I spent more money on gifts than I initially budgeted per person.
Many people go to holiday markets not realizing how easy it is to spend beyond their budget. It adds up quickly, between gift shopping, food, and special holiday activities!
5. Overpriced Food and Drinks
All too often, people spend more money on food and beverages at holiday markets than anticipated. It’s very easy to spend several hours inside and want to taste everything. It’s hard to walk by when there are so many delicious foods and drinks.
You do not want to spend the money on the overpriced chocolate-covered strawberries on a skewer, but it’s part of your family’s holiday tradition. So, to enjoy the full experience, you pay whatever the cost may be for those strawberries dipped in milk chocolate.
6. Random Gifts
Many times, holiday markets offer random handmade gifts for sale. You think, why not? Someone in your family might like this.
This is where holiday markets can pull you in. You’ll buy some of the most random and overpriced gifts. People will buy them for their uniqueness, unable to find anywhere else.
7. Overstimulating
Many people, especially those with young children, find holiday markets to be extremely overstimulating. There is so much going on that you could feel like you need space to exhale.
Consider all the vendors’ stands, food vendors, activities offered, music in the background, conversations around you, and slews of people. It can be a lot to manage for some.
8. Over Commercialized
It’s easy to see all the advertisements for a fun holiday market and get excited to visit the event.
At times, visitors may find fewer vendors than anticipated or people acting disinterested in what is being offered that catches your attention. This can be a disappointment for some people.
But, visit the holiday markets because you never know what you may find. Each is different and offers its own unique twist on the holiday market.
9. Vendors Alike
Some people enjoy visiting holiday markets as part of their yearly holiday traditions. The expectation can be to visit different vendors who offer a variety of products each year. This is not always the case though.
Many times, you may see the same vendors with the same products year after year. The authenticity is not always there. But this doesn’t stop visitors.
People like the experience of visiting the holiday markets and the opportunity to see what’s being offered yearly.
10. Long Wait Times in Line
The lines in holiday markets can be overwhelmingly long. They remind me of waiting in line at an amusement park for an extended period to ride the rollercoaster.
The long lines and wait time to purchase items from the more popular vendors at holiday markets can be somewhat of a deterrence for some. Most of the time, the person will wait for their turn to purchase the item anyway.
What is the One Thing You Love-Hate About Visiting Holiday Markets?
The large crowds blew my mind, but it was an experience I would do again and again. What is one thing you love-hate about visiting holiday markets? Let us know in the comments!
