Christmas Village: A 2019 Review

It makes sense that the Christmas Village is held in Love Park, because they are both Philly icons that are beloved by tourists. Some families might make the annual trip, but for most city kids, the novelty of Christmas Village has worn off. Lucy Duckworth (11-1) states that, “It feels like it’s just the same three companies that supply the stalls with the same gimmicky items; most people aren’t selling anything novel or interesting.” She’s not completely wrong--there are plenty of vendors selling overpriced hats, scarves, and gloves that look suspiciously similar. But for every twenty-dollar beanie is an edible birdhouse, or an artisanal chopstick-art bowl that was specially designed to contain the moisture in fruit.

Food is a visitor’s best bet in the Village: chocolate is sold in almost every other booth, and there is a surprising variety of European treats, such as spaetzle, a German mac-and-cheese, or doner kebab, a special type of German sandwich made with freshly grilled meat (you can buy one for eight dollars, which might be a better deal than the sixty-dollar hats from Ireland). The smell of cinnamon and bratwurst pervades the air as families stroll amidst festive lights, maybe looking for the latest addition to the Christmas Village: a 65-ft Ferris wheel ($4 a ride). The Village itself has also expanded into Dilworth Park, with new vendors that sell interesting items like artisanal soap and bacon jam. A highlight of the Village is the increasing presence of local goods, something Anna O’Neill-Dietel (11-3) is happy to see: “The village has a lot of Philly-made stuff which is really great, because they don’t have to compete with mainstream corporate brands.”

It’s not the best place for gift shopping, but the Village gets points for its efforts to bring holiday cheer into the heart of Philadelphia. Voices recommends that Masterman students go visit, but make conscious decisions about frivolous purchases.