The Christmas markets in Manchester city centre started a few years ago with a few stalls selling traditional German food and handicrafts. In the years since the markets have grown into a phenomenon, spreading over huge swathes of the city centre from Exchange Square, to Deansgate, to Albert Square.

You can find the locations and opening times of the markets on the councils website at manchester.gov.uk along with a brief description of the 'theme' of each market. Some are food, some are crafts, some are clothing, some are speciality items from a certain country including France and Germany, you can get everything from your Christmas tree to your evening meal to a piece of fine jewellery for a loved one!

The markets consist of attractive wooden cabins and festive lighting, they generally run from mid November up until a few days before Christmas. This year (2011) they are open from the 17th November to the 21st December. The smaller markets close at around 7pm but the biggie in Albert Square is open till 9pm.

Albert Square is really the flagship market. Its a big open space with the impressive Town Hall building overlooking the cabins. Personally I find the giant illuminated Father Christmas that sits above the Town Hall entrance to be a little bit creepy but its certainly Christmassy, can't deny that! Albert Square is the biggest and most varied of the markets but its also the busiest and at peak times such as weekends and evenings and once the school holidays start it can be incredibly crowded, so much so that you spend a lot of your time shuffling along slowly trying to see through the crowd rather than shopping. In this respect the market has become a bit of a victim of its own popularity. I wouldn't recommend trying to navigate Albert Square with small children or with a pushchair, or if you use a wheelchair or have any mobility issues. The smaller markets will be much less crowded and just as pleasant, particularly the ones in Exchange Square and New Cathedral Street which are newer and lesser known.

The merchandise available varies in quality and desirability. Some of it seems just like overpriced tourist tat really, but some of it is really lovely and unique. There are about a thousand stalls selling hats, gloves and scarves though, or at least it seems like that many! For me, where the markets really excel themselves is in food. From fresh hog roasts to crepes and waffles made in front of you, to roasted nuts, to wide selections of olives, to cheeses and smoked meats from around the world to any sweet thing you can imagine. Most of the markets have licensed bar areas too and somewhere you can sit down to enjoy whatever food you've decided on.

So if you're in or near Manchester, the markets are almost a compulsory part of Christmas now, but if you don't like the crowds come early in the day or avoid Albert Square.

Happy shopping!