Christmas markets in Leuven
December is Christmas market time.
The main Christmas market in downtown Leuven
For almost 2 weeks the city center is filled with a big Christmas market on the main squares that attracks a lot of people. It is a very commercial one with lots of vending booths with food, drinks , socks, decorations etc...
Also the Rotary club has a stand selling hot and cold cocktails and both Jan and I do a shift helping out. My shift was on a partial free day in the afternoon, so it was rather still calm because (fortunately for society) not too many people start drinking already mid-afternoon.
Hot aperol is sooo good ;)
Christmas market at the abbey
At the Park Abbey there's one afternoon a Christmas market that feels much less commercial. The stands are usualy filled by charity organisations and crafts people that show off their own work.
Because the central square at the abbey is currently under reconstruction they had to move the market in a big tent close to the sports center. Not quite the same but it wasn't as bad as I feared it would be. We enjoyed the company of our American friends from Maastricht that have established the tradition to always come for the abbey Christmas market. It's so nice to snoop around along the stands.
At the Park Abbey there's one afternoon a Christmas market that feels much less commercial. The stands are usualy filled by charity organisations and crafts people that show off their own work.
Because the central square at the abbey is currently under reconstruction they had to move the market in a big tent close to the sports center. Not quite the same but it wasn't as bad as I feared it would be. We enjoyed the company of our American friends from Maastricht that have established the tradition to always come for the abbey Christmas market. It's so nice to snoop around along the stands.
Kabouter spotted our favorite & local author Jo Claes at the market and went to have a little chat with him
Together we sat down at a quiet bench at the fish ponds with view of the abbey church and we enjoyed the Christmas concert of the carillon that we could listen to but also watch the live stream on FB . Very special and just sitting there with friends in nature, listening to the bells play, we truly felt Christmas coming. (much more than all the markets!)
At the school
There wasn't really a christmas market at the school but there were drinks on a themed evening that were very cosy to hang out for a moment and chat with the other parents.
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