The highly popular Christmas markets known as Christkindlmarkts are held all over the world, including Chicago and throughout Europe, and even in Asia. The Door Peninsula has its own Christkindlmarkt Door County in Sister Bay, which is now returning for its sixth annual event!
The first recorded Christkindlmarkt was in 1298, when vendors sold food during the Advent season. By 1384 villages all over Germany were celebrating Advent in markets selling local foods and crafts. The Christkindlmarkt was a festive meeting place for people to gather and purchase handicrafts such as nutcrackers, ornaments and cakes.
Martin Luther played a major role in our current Christmas customs. He encouraged gift-giving traditions to be held on Christmas Day, which became a boon to all the markets, and suggested that children receive the gifts from “The Christkind” — the Christ child. Hence, the name Christkindlmarkt. St. Nicholas came on December 6th to fill children’s shoes with oranges, nuts and cookies, while the Christkind delivered presents on Christmas Day.
SISTER BAY’S CHRISTKINDLMARKT
The market is held at the Sister Bay Historical Society’s six-acre property, the Corner of the Past Museum, located at Highway 57 & Fieldcrest Road on the outskirts of Sister Bay. As always, it will be held on three consecutive weekends in 2026: November 27-29, December 4-6, and December 11-13. The event is a fundraiser to benefit the Sister Bay Historical Society, who thanks you for attending!
The beautiful grounds, two heated tents, and 15 historic buildings will all be filled with local vendors selling their handmade art, crafts, Christmas ornaments, and more, under a myriad of twinkling lights. Imagine the air filled with the enticing fragrance of delicious food, roasting nuts, and hot-spiced Glühwein.
On Saturday afternoons, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be waiting in the cozy Anderson House to hear the kids’ Christmas wishes while alpacas are grazing nearby, outside in their own corral. Christmas music fills the air as you stroll through the booths or warm yourself by the big fire pit.
Thereʼs no better way to begin the Christmas holidays than to plan a friendsʼ or girlsʼ get-away-weekend or make new family Christmas traditions as you gather in the warm, friendly atmosphere of Christkindlmarkt in beautiful Door County.
