Christmas has officially started in Smithfield. The Spectacular Christmas Market is open from 11 am to 9pm daily until January 2nd.
The Spectacular Christmas Market in Smithfield – Photo: Synoah Peñaflorida
Smithfield square is decked with lights, garlands, and artificial snow with holiday music playing in the background. The Christmas Market is filled with stalls designed like small wooden cabins with snowy roofs.
The entire Smithfield square looks like a small Christmas village with different stalls that sell a variety of products from sweet treats to house decorations.
Evelina Fira in front of her stall – Photo: Synoah Peñaflorida
One of the vendors in the Christmas market is Evelina Fira, who sells Garden Spinners and wooden toys. “Garden spinners look good on any occasion because they look like turning bulbs,” she says.
Also selling home decorations is Desiree Hickey. Her stall is filled with porcelain Gingerbread houses, Christmas trees, snowmen and Santa Clauses.
Hickey says, “I think they are lovely for the people to see and lifts up the Christmas spirit.”
Parents that have children, or people that are just looking to have fun, can play hit the can, where if you can knock off stacks of cans from the table by throwing a ball from a distance.
Knock the Elf off the shelf – Photo:: Synoah Peñaflorida
There is also an ice rink and a big ferris wheel, where people can skate with loved ones or just sit and see Smithfield from a higher viewpoint.
Big Wheel – Photo: Synoah PeñafloridaThe Christmas Market seen from the big wheel – Photo: Synoah Peñaflorida
The market is also filled with foods, like sweets, fluffy pancakes, and savoury Asian dishes.
Benny Ham, owner of Stone Korea in Stoneybatter set-up his stall in the Christmas Market in the hope of attracting customers to his restaurant and to share Korean food with people in Dublin. His dishes start at €10.
Benny Ham Cooking Korean Chicken – Photo: Synoah Peñaflorida
Ham says, “I want people to know the different types of Korean food, because many people in Ireland don’t know Korean food – so I want to share the culture of Korea this Christmas.”
Bake it Happen is one of the stalls in the Christmas Market that sells baked goods. Carolina Musseti bakes her sweet treats with recipes that were passed on to her by her mother.
“Baking is a family moment for me, especially during the holidays. I grew up with the family around the kitchen table where we baked pastries and created special moments together. So, its important to me to share this feeling with people this Christmas season.”
Carolina Musseti
Her business is also based in Smithfield, which makes it convenient for her to sell her products.
Other stalls in the market sell different types of foods from chocolate covered strawberries to cheesy chips.
One stall named Mini Dutch cakes sells mini pancakes that have different flavours and toppings. Their pancakes cost from €10 to €12.
There are also stalls that sell different types of candies and crepes.
One would never go hungry walking around Smithfield Christmas Market.
The market is also a good place to buy Christmas gifts, such as candle holders, jewelry, and scarves.
Éamon Ó Donnchadha sells his handwoven scarves, tweeds, and fabric in the Christmas market.
Every piece in his stall was made by him. It is a crafts, he says, that follows the ancient weaving tradition and heritage of the tweed that clothed the Gaelic High Kings of Tara.
Caoileann (Left) and Eamon (Right) at their stall – Photo: Synoah Peñaflorida
Ó Donnchadha explains: “I think what makes them the perfect gift is that they’re 100% sustainable, and that in todays world, especially the young people, they want something that is made in Ireland, they want something that’s local, and they want something that’s good for the planet.
“Its beautiful, its practical, it’s a gift for life.”
