Christmas Markets Are Weird Everywhere

​This post originally appeared on ​VICE Alps.

Like it or not, Christmas markets are a part of the international holiday landscape. And, much like Starbucks, they are equally bizarre wherever you go. Growing up in Austria, I’ve always thought our Christkindlmärktes resembled a chamber of horrors packed with things I detest: crappy toys, drunken OAPs, bratwurst with sauerkraut, a constant need to urinate, folk music, and rum punch on the soles of my shoes.

However, now that I like to say I’ve grown up, I’ve realised they are also as much an irrevocable part of the Austrian soul as Schnitzel and big-bosomed ladies, and as good an excuse for drinking spirits after dark as they come. 

Here are some photos from this year’s market in Vienna.
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​See more of Stefanie’s work ​here.

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