'I went to a Christmas market with £20 and was amazed at how much I could buy'
A Christmas market enthusiast visited their local fair and was pleasantly surprised by how far their money went.
After a costly year of high inflation and lower wage growth, many people have found eye-watering sums greeting them when they visited their nearby seasonal seller this year. Hot chocolates nearing the £10 mark and sausages coming in at £8 are two of the big complains of winter 2023.
It seems that there are still some good deals to be found however. Jane Corscadden went to check out the Belfast Christmas Market for Belfast Live and was pleased with how little she ended up spending.
"For many - myself included - it isn't really Christmas until the market has been visited at least once. It's the perfect place to go on a chilly day for a dander around, a nosy at what's on offer in all the stalls, and a chance to grab a bite underneath the Christmas tree at Belfast City Hall," Jane wrote.
Jane limited herself to spending £20 (Belfast Live)"I ventured into the city for my first visit to the market this year on Friday afternoon, November 24, making sure to go slightly later in the afternoon to miss the lunchtime rush. The slight delay seemed to have paid off, as although it was busy, the queues weren't too bad and I was able to get everything I was looking for fairly quickly."
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Jane decided to set herself a challenge. In a bid to see how big a correlation between festive fun and money spent there is when it comes to Christmas markets, she got out £20 a pledged to spend only that.
"For this, I was setting out to get a main lunch dish, a dessert, a drink, and something a little extra - that is, if there was any money leftover. Every time I go to the market, especially if it's my first visit of the year, there are a few must-visit stalls for me so I made sure to stop by at those on this trip," Jane wrote.
Upon arriving she made a beeline for the German hot dog stall and got herself a chilli bratwurst, served in a baguette with crispy onions, ketchup, and mustard. She described the £7 cost of the snack as "a bit staggering", but still managed to also pick up more treats at other stalls including 15 mini-pancakes covered in syrup, and a mocha with whipped cream, leaving her with £3 left.
She admitted: "I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get anything with £3, really, but then a stall selling "chocolate kisses" caught my eye. One of these sweet treats was £1.50, so I could get two for my remaining money. These German chocolate sweets have a crisp wafer base with a soft and creamy filling, and are covered in different chocolate flavours. I opted for the peanut brittle and white chocolate flavours."
Jane left the fair happy with her purchases, suitably full of Christmas cheer and treats, and feeling like the experience hadn't completely broken the bank.
"All in all, I love the Belfast Christmas market and make sure to stop by once or twice every year. However, many of the stalls are expensive, and stopping by is definitely more of a once in a while thing than something I'd do regularly," she concluded.
"I was surprised at the amount I was able to get for £20, not thinking I'd have anything leftover after buying a main, dessert, and a drink. I now feel sufficiently in the Christmas spirit, and am looking forward to a wander around the stalls - and the beer tents - on an evening visit sometime soon."
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