Christmas shopping handbook

There is no Christmas without the Christmas markets! Well, apart from last year, when most of them moved online due to lockdown. This year, Christmas markets have returned to the streets! The Gdańsk Fair that takes place at Targ Węglowy attracts crowds of residents and tourists. This year, there are definitely more food stalls than handmade booths, but you can still buy there beautiful pieces made by local craftsmen: jewellery made on-site by the local blacksmith, hats and socks made of wool, hand-made decorations, as well as food products perfect both for a gift and for a Christmas table – honey, wine, cheese and other regional delicacies from all over the world. After the shopping, we recommend trying one of the many types of mulled wine offered at the market in a mug designed especially for this occasion.

While at the Gdańsk fair, you should direct your steps to Tkacka street, where the Przytul Design – Christmas on Tkacka handmade fair is taking place. Artists from Tricity are offering one of a kind products – jewellery, clothes, toys, accessories and interior design elements – all of them unique and ecological.

There’s also a lot going on in Gdynia. The Gdynia Christmas Fair is taking place in Plac Grunwaldzki where you can find as many as 29 stands with a wide range of Christmas decorations, gift ideas and a lot of holiday culinary inspirations. You can buy macrame, hand-made jewellery, centrepieces or ceramic decorations and try regional specialities. The market will be open until the end of December.

Sopot also has its own Christmas Flea Market. All pre-holiday weekends (from Friday to Saturday), the Sopot Market Square will host craftsmen and exhibitors from Tricity offering Christmas decorations, gifts and delicacies

Christmas markets are especially crowded on the weekends, so we recommend going there during the week and leaving your car at home. However, if you prefer to avoid the city centre crowd at all, this year the city of Gdańsk planned many smaller events where you can buy unique gifts and decorations. Like the neighbourhood fairs. This weekend (December 11-12), we invite you to Piecki-Migowo in Gdansk. At the intersection of Bulońska / Rakoczego streets, you will be able to meet local micro-entrepreneurs, craftsmen and creators, buy souvenirs and taste the local cuisine.

The upcoming weekend is the perfect time to buy all your Christmas presents. Why? Because the selection of fairs and flea markets taking place on December 11th and 12th is enormous!

All fashion and design addicts should start shopping with the Christmas edition of Bakalie, a designers and artists’ fair where you will find original gifts, unique items, and vintage dresses from over 100 exhibitors from Pomerania and all over Poland. Bakalie will be held on Sunday, December 12, at Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk.

Music lovers, audiophiles and record treasure hunters (and those looking for a gift for one of them) should visit the Metropolia shopping centre, where the Great Record Fair will take place this Saturday.

Also on Sunday Gdynia’s ART39 community centre will be hosting the “Pearls” Christmas handicraft fair that will feature works by local artists and craftsmen, including candles, macrame, pottery and jewellery.

The Ethnographic Museum in Oliwa is also preparing something special. The Christmas Etnokiermasz will be held here this and next weekend. Fellow folk artists will be presenting their works – folk sculptures, nativity scenes, embroidered products, household ceramics and, of course, Christmas decorations.

The next option waiting for the residents of Gdańsk this weekend is the Brzeźno Christmas Market organised by the “Sprawni Inaczej” Foundation at Północna 5 street. The plan includes baking homemade waffles, Christmas cards workshop and, of course, opportunity to buy unique Christmas decorations and gifts: wreaths, Christmas balls, soaps, macrame, stained glass, ceramics and much more.

There will also be an opportunity to buy exceptional things at the Gdańsk shipyard. Saturday’s Bazaar Vintage Inside organized by 100cznia is a paradise for fans of unique things – vinyl records, books, clothes and many others. You can stock up on everything your loved ones would like to find under the Christmas tree.

If you are one of the people who are tired of Christmas cooking, but with great pleasure devouring Christmas dishes, be sure to drop by the Last Call, a market of Christmas delicacies organized on Elektryków Street on December 18th. The last call is also a great opportunity for those who will not be able to complete the entire gifts list earlier. Craftsmen, artists and exhibitors from all over Pomerania will be waiting for you at the market.

If you are looking for decorations for a Christmas table, go to Abrahama Street in Gdynia, where the Magic of Christmas Floral Design fair lasts until Christmas Eve. You can buy there original centrepieces and decorations.

Of course, you can buy something original not only at the fairs! In Tricity, you can find many extraordinary artists and craftsmen who offer their products both in stores and online. We also recommend decorations made by the charges of one of the many charities in the region. Gingerbreads and beautiful crochet stars and Christmas balls from Caffe Aktywni, macrame Christmas decorations and wreaths created by by extremely talented pupils of the Complex of Special Schools Number 2 or PSONI foundation Christmas tree ornaments.