Schönbrunn Christmas Market: glittering lights and traditional handicrafts

18th Schönbrunn Christmas Market
and 2nd Schönbrunn New Year’s Market
19 November to 26 December 2011 and
28 December 2011 to 1 January 2012

Press Information September 2011

Schönbrunn Christmas Market: glittering lights and traditional handicrafts

Exquisite collectors’ items as Advent décor, Christmas surprises and special souvenirs await visitors to Schönbrunn from 19 November to 26 December. In addition to the record seventy-five and more exhibitors from Austria and neighbouring countries, the festive opening, an invitation to join the benefit public choir and a Christmas workshop set up for the first time, the special editions introduced in 2010 will this year feature unique items from ten craftsmen and women. Anticipation of the Christmas celebrations combines at the Schönbrunn Christmas Market with handicrafts that keep up a tradition dating back to the Habsburg era.

Special edition and Christmas workshop

The selection of “Christmas in Schönbrunn” special editions ranges from a glass angel with gold tinsel to carvings from the Erz Mountains, from lathed boxes made of olive and rose jam to perfume flacons in the style of Maria Theresa and bath additives with frankincense and myrrh, from an imperial coach and crown to a hand-painted pewter figure of the emperor. The products in general are notable for their love of detail and high quality. Apart from popular items like whirring metal toys, nostalgic picture books, biblical menageries, balls, coloured candles and ceramics, and woollen hats and gloves, there is also hand-embroidered tableware in the style found in Austria after1880. Abookbinder will create distinctive paper for boxes and postcards and also build dazzling kaleidoscopes, an old a popular instrument shaken to produce imaginative patterns. Mention might also be made of the paper theatres and artistic puppets not to mention the ever-popular music boxes.

In the Christmas workshop children can learn how to make handicrafts, Christmas tree decorations and wooden signs, create wreaths, shape wax and decorate stars with fragrant spices.

Opening, public choir and an awkward angel

The Christmas tree, this from Mariazellerland, will be lit at 4 p.m. on 19 November to the accompaniment of a children’s choir. A good voice is also required on 1 December when a public choir will sing Christmas carols for the benefit of SOS-Kinderdorf Vienna. Every voice will earn money. During the entire Advent period professional gospel and brass ensembles will perform music – from swinging jazz to classic festive numbers.

The awkward little angel will also offer children plenty of fun and adventure as they discover the market. Amid the stardust and snow flurries in the White and Gold Rooms they can listen to stories and poems. Guided tours will provide visitors with interesting information about Christmas in Schönbrunn, while the palace ghost Poldi tinkers away and invites children to hunt the parcel. And finally they can make biscuits at Café-Restaurant Residenz. Santa Claus will be distributing small gifts on 5 and 6 December.

Top-class culinary delights and luck-bringing New Year mushrooms

Savoury traditional snacks – dumplings, noodles, and fried potatoes and pork – lovingly prepared by top chefs will help to stave off hunger pangs. Sandwich spreads will whet the appetite for soups and baked potatoes, and melt-in-the-mouth pancakes and waffles. Then there are the snacks, like chestnuts, pretzels – and a chocolate fountain – washed down by tea and punch, with and without alcohol and sugar.

The popular mushroom-shaped heated shelters with star-specked canopies introduced last year will this year be even more numerous, paving the way for the New Year. From 28 December to 1 January the Christmas market will once again be transformed into the Schönbrunn New Year’s Market, with, of course, a suitable range of items for sale.

18th Schönbrunn Christmas Market

19 November to 26 December 2011

19 November (opening, lighting of Christmas tree)  4 p.m.

19 November to 23 December daily                               10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

24 December                                                                            10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

25 and 26 December                                                             10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

2nd Schönbrunn New Year’s Market

28 December 2011 to 1 January 2012                  10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Organisers
MTS – Marketing Tourismus Synergie Wien GmbH
Schloss Schönbrunn Gardetrakt, 1130 Vienna
T: +43 1 817 4165-0  F: +43 1 817 4165–15
E-mail:info@weihnachtsmarkt.co.at – Web:
Queries and digital picturesMTS – Marketing Tourismus Synergie Wien GmbH
Mail:presse@weihnachtsmarkt.co.at
Gabriela Schmidle (managing director)  +43 664 1114166
Karin Mück (press) +43 699 10100282

All Vienna Christmas Markets: Vienna Christmas Markets

Tutti i Mercatini di Natale di Vienna: Mercatini di Natale di Vienna