The magic of the holidays is in full swing here in Philadelphia. One of my personal favorite events is The Christmas Village found in Love Park. Only a few short blocks from the Drexel shuttle stop in Center City, this is a great space break from finals studying to really put you in the Christmas spirit. Featuring handmade crafts, homemade food, and live entertainment, the Christmas village has a little something for everyone! Check their online website to see specific events happening daily on top of multiple vendors and live entertainment. The village surrounds the massive Christmas tree in Love Park right across the street from City Hall. Between the ice rink in front of City Hall and the Christmas Village, there is no reason not to visit Center City this week!
This year make sure you go hungry! They have sweet treats such as Nutella puffs, churros, crepes, and homemade sugar waffles that are amazing! Looking for dinner? The Christmas Village has German heritage throughout the event that offers traditional foods, such as bratwurst cooked to perfection. To warm you up while you walk around I would recommend taking a visit to the hot drink booth right by the entrance. The ladies are very welcoming and for $5.50 (cash only) you get a hot chocolate and a blue keepsake mug with drawings of Love Park’s Christmas village. The hot chocolate is yummy and the mug is a great little keepsake from this time of year. For our over 21 crowds there is warm wine served in keepsake mugs at the Chaddsford Winery booth! Many flock to the local winery booth for this seasonal treat. Chaddsford Winery offers locally grown wines that make a great gift for anyone on your list. The village also features many artists with a Philly focus. One of my favorites is Philly Word Art! Every Philly image was created from written words, the use of color and text to create an image is amazing! Between food, wine, art, and shopping, the Christmas Village really does have it all.
The best part about the Christmas Village is the whole trip is actually free! Take the (free) Drexel shuttle to the Center City Campus and walk a few blocks to Love Park and enjoy! Walk around and see what they have to offer, or just use it as a constructive way to procrastinate finals and get you in the holiday spirit! Whether you love food, art, crafts, Christmas, or all of the above, the Christmas Village is a must visit this time of year!