Christmas Markets: Winter Park, FL

Winter Park, FL

My favorite holiday event of the year is the Tiffany Window lighting in Winter Park, FL (2012, 2013). The Morse Museum on Park Ave has a collection of Tiffany Windows, and each December, they bring out the collection, set them up along the path in the park, illuminate them, and have a choir sing Christmas songs. 

People arrive early to get a spot in the park close to the stage. Attendees setup picnic blankets, actual tables, chairs, tablecloths, battery operated candles, bottles of wine and cheese and charcuterie. We like to bring hot cocoa and walk around. This year, we scrambled out the door (two kids and all) and I was less prepared with hot cocoa. Instead, we popped into a French bistro, and the man behind the bar kindly made us hot cocoa. One for me, and one for my 4 year old. He said it's definitely more of a grown-up hot cocoa made with dark chocolate. He asked if I wanted him to sweeten the one for my daughter a little bit. I agreed, and then we settled on "it's almost bedtime" level of sweetness. He gets it. 

Grandma Party Bazaar

The best market in our town is the Grandma Party Bazar hosted at Stardust Video and Coffee. They have the best vendors - jewelry, ceramics, clothing, art, vintage goods, you name it! Everything it really unique, and the vendors are not the same ones you see at every craft fair in the region. It's a market so good, that I have a hard time buying gifts here, I typically walk away with so many items for myself.