Manchester Christmas Markets have taken over the city centre for the next few weeks, and each and every year we hear the same grumbles. “They’re overpriced,” “it’s too expensive”, “I’m not paying that”, and a new entry for this year, “don’t people know there’s a cost of living crisis?”
Of course we know there’s a cost of living crisis, however, why should we bemoan people spending a couple of quid on a hotdog in a bid to inject some festive spirit into their lives? Take away one nice thing from people, or worse, make them feel guilty for enjoying themselves just once in the run up to Christmas.
It’s not like you have to spend a fortune at the markets - in fact, you don’t have to spend anything at all, if you don’t want to. Being surrounded by the little cabin huts, fairy lights and our mate Zippy being back up can be enough for some.
Last weekend, our Dianne Bourne headed out to the markets and paid £25 for a beer and a bratwurst. That was £7 for the sausage, £11 for a litre of beer - which she did say was delicious, if not expensive - and £7 for the glass deposit.
Yes, you could go out and rinse your bank account at the Christmas markets if you wanted to or, alternatively, if you aren’t careful. But you can easily get a sausage, alcoholic drink and a couple of gifts under your belt and still have change from a £20 note, if you’re savvy about it. So that’s exactly what I did.
Having been around the markets three or four times since they opened on November 10, I’ve learned quickly where the cheapest places to eat are, and by far the best value for money has to be at St Anne’s Square, where you can get a half metre bratwurst for just £6 - a whole pound cheaper than Dianne’s regular sized sausage, getting a LOT more meat for your money. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’d probably do two people - perhaps be cheeky and ask for an extra bun, and your sausages will only technically cost you £3, then.
Fuelled with food, the next stop is for a drink, so I headed down to the bar next to the church, which was packed with groups of people cheersing pints and sipping gluhwein.
Be aware, these bars are often cash only, so make sure you bring your card and some cash with you, as each stall varies.
I ordered a mulled wine, which comes in one of the adorable 2022 Manchester Christmas Markets mugs, featuring sweet festive characters high-fiving. The wine itself costs £5, but then you have to pay your mug deposit of £3, taking my total to £14. However, mulled wine sipped and mug empty, I decided I didn’t really need another mug in my overflowing cupboard, so returned it for my £3 back, taking my spend back down to £11.
So, that left me with £9 to play with, so would I be able to pick up a gift or two while in town, too?
When our What’s On Editor, Jenna Campbell, showed our Facebook viewers around the markets on a live video, some people mentioned how much they love the soap filled sponges, so I headed down towards Selfridges to take a look.
The sponges come in an array of scents, many of which are similar to popular brands and perfumes, including Lush Snow Fairy and Aventus Creed. I decided to pick up one that smells like Thierry Mugler’s Alien, in a green and purple design, ready to be gifted to a family member this December.
The sponges cost £3.50 each and are said to last around two and a half months, ‘unless you’re a student, where they’ll last two years’, a sign jokes.
This took me to £14.50, so I still had in excess of a fiver to find one more thing to take home with me.
Since we’re putting the tree up this weekend, I thought a decoration might be nice, so I headed to Market Street where I’d seen a stall selling personalised ornaments. There was no price displayed - which is never a good sign, is it? - and when asked, I was told they’re £15 each.
They’re beautiful decorations and of course, you’ll pay more for something personalised, but it was out of my budget, so I went on the hunt for something cheaper and came across The Manchester Shop, back on St Anne’s Square.
Here they had some gorgeous bee-themed decorations from Sass and Belle, but they were just over budget at £6 each. Instead, I opted for a £4 Manchester Bee wooden decoration that I thought would look lovely in a festive wreath or hanging from the tree this year.
My total spend at the markets was £18.50, leaving me with change to spare from my £20 note. So it just goes to show that you can go to Manchester Christmas Markets and have a great time, be fed and watered, without having to fork out a lot of money for the privilege.
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