‘Treats you won’t find anywhere else’: Last chance to buy from Scandinavian Christmas Market

‘LOVELY FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE’: Charlotte Theill

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

Hundreds of Yuletide revellers braved the driving rain to splash out on festive delights as the Danish Church in Hull opened its doors for the Scandinavian Christmas Market.

Another good turnout is expected for a second helping on Saturday when the Church hosts a mini-market as the last chance to snap-up festive food and gifts before Christmas.

The market can be traced back to the 1930s. Archive photographs show a Christmas bazaar taking place in 1933 at the original Danish Church, which was consecrated in 1871 and stood nearby until it was bombed in 1941.

Some of the current volunteers have been helping at the market since the 1960s and start their planning months ahead. They step up the preparations in the weeks before the event by taking deliveries of Scandi design and decorations and baking Nordic delicacies, including festive biscuits and the Kransekage cake made for special occasions.

Brexit disrupted supplies of some of the imported goods and Covid curtailed the market from a two-day event to just Saturday – but Charlotte Theill, manager of the Danish Church in Hull, said the number of visitors is at record levels.

Charlotte said: “The market used to attract more than 800 people over two days and now we welcome almost the same number in just one day. This year the weather put a lot of people off so numbers were down but we actually made more money, which is great because it’s our biggest fundraiser of the year.

MONTHS OF PLANNING: Volunteers at Hull Danish Church

“We suspect people found things more relaxing and stayed longer. That’s a good sign for the mini-market, which is always a bit quieter and provides an opportunity for some leisurely Christmas shopping.

“There are all sorts of nice things left including beautiful decorations, candles and design items and delicious sweet and savoury treats that you won’t find anywhere else.

“It’s also a lovely festive atmosphere, with coffee, tea and biscuits available to purchase. People come from far and wide, some have been coming for years and  they tell us that they see it as the start of their Christmas.”

• The mini-market will be open from 10am until 2pm on Saturday, December 6, with free admission.