Kosta julmarknad - härlig julstämning i Glasriket

Kosta Christmas Market is part of the Christmas celebrations in Kosta, in the Kingdom of Glass. Here you can experience Christmas shopping, Christmas lights galore and a lot of other Christmas activities, such as herring and Christmas table. We are here with our motorhome, in collaboration with Glasriket. Welcome to the Christmas atmosphere deluxe!

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Kosta Christmas market

Kosta Christmas Market is a classic Christmas market, filled with charming market stalls selling crafts and delicacies. What is special here is that you also have all the glass art, all the millions of Christmas lights and of course all the special Småland food experiences.

You can also visit Santa's World, and the route leads through a beautiful snow-covered forest. As adults, we may have enjoyed the atmospheric forest the most, but for children it's certainly more fun to get to Santa and all the moving Christmas installations in his neighbourhood.

Opening of the Kosta Christmas market

Kosta Christmas Market was inaugurated this year on Saturday 13 November. At 17:00, locals and tourists gathered to watch Måns Zelmerlöw give the opening speech and sing, and then it was time to light all 6 million (!) Christmas lights.

In the photo below, we think we've managed to capture the atmosphere, although it's hard to tell that the glowing dot on the podium is actually our very own Måns. We still laugh when we see the picture - not the most successful artist photo in the history of the world, but you can't go wrong with glittering gold!

The finale of the inauguration was celebrated by filling the sky with colourful fireworks.

6 million Christmas lights

The winter-dark Kosta was lit up with a mesmerising 6 million Christmas lights. It felt like every tree and every facade was glowing against the dark evening sky. This is really just what you need in chilly November. Amazingly cosy and beautiful!

Even later in the evening, when the Christmas market had closed for the day, it was nice to walk past it. What a lovely light in the night!

Hyttsill

We celebrated the first day of the Kosta Christmas market by testing the local tradition "hyttsill". Hyttsill is an old custom in Glasriket that goes back to the time when the smelter was the centre of the village.

When the glassblowers had finished their work for the day, the ovens were used for cooking, with salt herring and potatoes being grilled in the ash heaps. Around the meal, the work team and their families, as well as hunters and tramps from the neighbourhood, would meet. To this day, the tradition is to serve herring in a glass hut.

Classic hyttsill food includes salted herring cooked with onions and cream, as well as lard strips, salted pork and baked potatoes. Now at Christmas time, it was complemented by some Christmas classics such as egg halves, Christmas ham, meatballs, prince sausage, beetroot salad and Jansson's temptation. For dessert, the traditional cheesecake with jam and cream was served.

The main attraction is perhaps not the food, but rather the entertainment. When we were here, two nice troubadours entertained, and if you book carefully, you can also spot great artists, such as Tommy Körberg, Hasse "Kvinnaböske" Andersson, Robert Wells or Lasse Kronér.

We ourselves most appreciated the entertainment of the glassblower who, during the evening, blew glass, told stories and let eager guests try ... It was a great atmosphere!

Kosta lodge

We visited Kosta Christmas market with a motorhome and we stood at night at Kosta lodge, where there is a nice parking place. Now in November, at the opening of the Christmas market, we were probably around 20 motorhomes here. There is electricity, toilets, showers and a jacuzzi. As far as we knew, the emptying service was closed at this time of year, but a year-round open service is being developed.

There are also guest rooms in the main building and accommodation in cottages.

Several of our campsite neighbours told us that they had bathed or would bathe and sounded excited about this. We were keen to swim too, but when we came back to the lodge after the evening at the hut, they were closed. At least we got to take some photos. So cosy!

Video from Kosta Christmas market

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

There is so much to do things to see and do in Kosta and in the rest of the Glasriket. When it comes to Kosta, we can highly recommend a visit to Kosta Boda Art Hotel (don't miss the cool Glasbaren!), the delicatessen Kosta Delikatess, Kosta Art Gallery and to try to blowing glass at Kosta Glass Centre. Also check out the charming little toy and collectibles shop Margaretha's Dollhouse.

If you like nature and adventure, we can recommend a breathtaking zipline adventure at Sweden Zipline. We can also recommend dog-friendly Vidinge Farm, where you can stay in a room or with a camper van and experience nature by bike or packraft (inflatable canoe). In addition, there are of course even more glassworks, as well as an hand paper mill …!

The newly opened delicatessen Kosta Delikatess

All our top tips for holidays in Småland

READ MORE: Campsites and pitches in Småland
READ MORE: Things to do in Glasriket - 25 tips for sights and experiences
READ MORE: Things to do in Småland - tips, sights and experiences

16 Comments

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Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

Kosta Christmas market showed a nice Christmas atmosphere. Hyttsill and Christmas plate I can imagine if I had been there.
Good for them!

16 November 2021 - 9:33

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  We really liked the cosy Christmas atmosphere here. Not least we appreciate all the lighting, nice in dark November!
  
  16 November 2021 - 19:18
  
BP says:

6 million candles - WOW! And not a single fuse blew;-)
I had honestly never heard of Kosta Christmas Market. It was completely new to me. Oh it is maffig for a Swedish market.
I'm not sure I'd be too keen on the food, but it's the atmosphere you're looking for, and it's great.

16 November 2021 - 16:52

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  The lighting is fantastic! And just in November when it is so dark, then it is really nice with these lights!!! When it comes to hyttsillen, it is very stable Swedish food, so it depends on whether you like that type of food clearly! Then it is perhaps the atmosphere and entertainment that is the best 🙂 .
  
  16 November 2021 - 19:20
  
Matts Torebring says:

We have been there several times and maybe it feels a bit off compared to all the other big Christmas markets. Of course you should go there anyway.

16 November 2021 - 19:04

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  I understand that you have been here! We think that it is the combination of different activities that attracts, not only the Christmas market, but also art, food, outlets, trying to blow glass yourself, etc. There will be more on the blog soon! 😉
  
  16 November 2021 - 19:21
  
JoY says:

It looks really cosy with all the lights, 6 million lights, a lot. We've only been there in late summer and it was pretty empty.

16 November 2021 - 22:32

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Incredible with the lighting! Now it was quite a lot of people! Not full at the car park, but a pretty big bunch 🙂 .
  
  17 November 2021 - 7:08
  
Mr Torbjörn says:

How cosy it looks. We will go there this weekend and stay at Ställplatsen so we thank you for all the tips👌😊.

16 November 2021 - 23:16

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  What fun that you are planning a trip here! Wish you a nice weekend! 🙂
  
  17 November 2021 - 7:08
  
Maggan Lillvik says:

We have eaten Hyttsillen and we have seen glass blowing, but we did not know that there was a Christmas market as well. May be a small excursion with the motorhome there, now that we are still at home.

17 November 2021 - 0:17

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Really nice we thought! The Christmas market is cosy, and there is so much to see and experience around.
  
  17 November 2021 - 7:10
  
Anta Snaque says:

Wonder what the electricity consumption will cost Kosta. 😉 Good thing there are LEDs!
Visited Glasriket and most glassworks one summer in the 1950s. So fantastic with all the smelters that were running then. My parents literally had to drag me out of there. I was completely captivated by the craft despite my very young age. One of my best and fondest childhood memories.

17 November 2021 - 0:52

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Well, let's assume it's LED lighting! 😉 And what wonderful memories you have! Fantastic when something makes such a strong impression on you when you are a child!
  
  17 November 2021 - 7:11
  
Arne Lindh says:

We were there a few weeks ago. They had already started to build up their Christmas market. See the blog. We had fun in the jacuzzi among other things.

http://xoeocholivia.blogspot.se

17 November 2021 - 9:09

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Nice to read your report! The hot tub looked inviting! Incidentally, we have also had time for some nature in the area, more reports will come! 😀👍
  
  18 November 2021 - 20:32

Kosta Christmas market - a wonderful Christmas atmosphere in the Kingdom of Crystal.

Kosta Christmas market

Opening of the Kosta Christmas market

6 million Christmas lights

Hyttsill

Kosta lodge

Video from Kosta Christmas market

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

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16 Comments

Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Helena says:

Matts Torebring says:

Helena says:

JoY says:

Helena says:

Mr Torbjörn says:

Helena says:

Maggan Lillvik says:

Helena says:

Anta Snaque says:

Helena says:

Arne Lindh says:

Helena says:

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