Christmas Village Unwraps 16th Year in Philadelphia’s LOVE Park and City Hall, Festival of Trees Debuts

Presented by Bank of America, Christmas Village in Philadelphia returned to LOVE Park and City Hall in 2023 for a 16th consecutive year.

“This is how Christmas should feel. Full of hope, happiness and new beginnings. Full of love, for those we’re with, those we miss and those we’ve found. This is the best feeling, ever! I don’t know what the future holds but, right now, it feels full of promise and excitement.” ~ Jo Thomas, Finding Love at the Christmas Market

Story, photos by Sharon Kozden

I was back again at the Wynnewood SEPTA Station last week, taking advantage of my employer’s discounted transit-pass program (a.k.a. JAWNT), which enables me … for cut-rate fare … to hop the regional rails, buses and subways and, in so doing, to accept most of the hella holiday invites I’ve received this year to events in my home city of Philadelphia.

Honestly, I’ve shown my mug at more Media VIP Previews, Press Tours and Holiday Parties in 2023 than in previous years, in part thanks to this very cool work perk. And Uber-ing from my home in Gladwyne to Philly is some 30 bucks one way. My social scene-making would be nearly non-existent less this fab rail pass.

So … between my amazing JAWNT jawn and hosts such as Philly publicist Kory Aversa of Aversa PR (and his many clients) along with either existing client requests sent to me by my editor at Explore with Cassie or new client relationships which I generate with introductory proposals and writing samples, it’s been a banner and memorable year.

Sadly, this also has been my newly minted year as an orphan … in a club I wish would most decidedly not have had me … so I’m extra-indebted to the aforementioned for providing the social distractions of such fetes with their joyful noises during a grief-addled year. Thanks, All!

I did this thing: I rail-rode to LOVE Park’s Welcome Center in early December for a Press Tasting Tour! It was a lovely evening that merged the inaugural Festival of Trees (to benefit CHOP!) and a walkabout (as the Aussies say) through the open-air market of Christmas Village in Philadelphia, modeled on ones found Christmastime in German cities such as Munich, Hamburg, Cologne and Dresden.

Did you know the quintessential of all such markets, The Nuremberg Christmas Market, is one of the most well-known Christmas markets in Germany, where the famous German Christkindl tradition stems from? ‘Tis true dat.

Not to be confused with LOVE Park Visitors’ Center, the Park’s Welcome Center is that very Jetsonian (as in the animated TV series, the Jetsons) … and recently renovated … flying saucer structure located near Uptown Beer Garden on John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

It was my first visit to the neighborhood saucer, and I found it utterly charming! I read they’re trying to find a restauranteur-tenant, and holy Mother of George Jetson, please someone do it. If I can’t get an In-N-Out burger in my home city, then I want a Space-age Double-Triple with Galaxy Sauce, please and thanks!

Oh, and apropos of popping notes in some suggestion box while writing, I think PR Santa and his crew and clients should produce a Christmas CD with a brotherly-sisterly love twist. Just sayin’ is all, but I believe! But I digress … again.

After checking in and entering the Welcome Center through a brightly lighted ornamental arch, I spied PR Santa, tapped his shoulder in long-time-no-see greeting fashion, thanked him for the invite and posed for a snap, then made a beeline to the drink station for a chill-chasing spiked hot chocolate topped with whipped creme. I sat upon Santa’s lap at a very cute and homey installation replete with fireplace and massively ornate Santa Chair and was photographed by a professional photographer, who emailed me the resultant awesome shots.

Just an aside here about the chosen Santa … he was … he had to be … the proverbial LOVE Child of Nick Nolte and Philip Seymour Hoffman! At least that’s what I saw, although others essentially pooh-poohed my observation or asked Nick who? That, or they examined me as if to wonder just how spiked my cocoa had been. Well, whatevs … a jovial merry maker Kris Kringle-slash-Santa he was. Another cutie on the meet-greet scene was a costumed Phil the Reindeer, who wore a royal blue Christmas Village in Philadelphia-emblazoned hoodie.

The Festival of Trees is a beautiful sight, in particular because admission is free and it’s a fundraiser to benefit CHOP. Did you know “Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is the nation’s first hospital devoted exclusively to the care of children and that, since their start in 1855, CHOP has been the birthplace for countless breakthroughs and dramatic firsts in pediatric medicine?”

You can help choose the winning tree among a parade of many supported by local companies and masterfully touched up and topped to holiday perfection by professional designers. Vote for your favorite by making a small donation, then placing a snowflake token inside a box next to your chosen tree–all while knowing that 100% of funds raised go directly to the Children’s Fund at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

At some point that evening, we were divided into groups of 15 or so and given beads so that the over 120 Christmas Village vendors could identify us as Media/Press as we visited their wooden cottages, snapping photos aplenty. So many venders, so little time to capture them all; however, I photographed a representative number to give a taster of what awaits visitors.

Pretty much anything under the sun … or in this case the Moravian Star … could be purchased–from local and international offerings in a plethora of categories such as food and beverages, sweets and treats, decorations, arts and crafts, fashion and beauty, glass, pottery and woodworks, jewelry and accessories and toys and gifts.

In other words, those individuals you’re shopping for a.k.a. the ones who have everything do not stand a chance of remaining gift-less if you’ve been to Christmas Village in Philadelphia, particularly if your giftees fancy the uniquely unique, handmade or one-of-a-kind.

Of course, smells as well as sights and sounds abound as you saunter through this open-air market. Take it all in–scents of gingerbread, waffles, mulled wine, bratwurst and sauerkraut, schnitzel sandwiches with raclette cheeses and roasted ears of corn plain, cheesy or vegan. It’s truly both smorgasbord and cornucopia and horn of plenty, Christmas in Germany-style!

On exiting the event to catch a train bound for home, I stopped at the LOVE Sculpture for the requisite photo op, secured my souvenir red Santa boot (now minus any hot chocolate) in my purse and mindfully imprinted the several hours spent at Christmas Village in Philadelphia that left me, while “not knowing what the future holds,” flush with spirit-of-the-season vibes and cheer.

And while I didn’t find romantic love at the Christmas Market, I did, generally speaking, find love because love, I’ve learned, exists in many forms. Yes, I’m full of deep affection for those I dearly miss. The coming times do feel full of promise and excitement. And at Christmas Village in Philadelphia and the Festival of Trees, where you can shop and CHOP, there certainly is an abundance of such excitement!

For more information and running dates and times, visit philachristmas.com and visitphilly.com.

Frohe Weihnachten!

Septa’s Wynnewood Station is my go-to for traveling into Center City from my home in Gladwyne.

Septa’s Wynnewood Station is merry and bright for the holiday season.

The darkness cometh as I await the train bound for Suburban Station in Philadelphia.

Stepping out from Suburban Street Station, I greet my home city of Philadelphia gone gorgeously lighted for the season.

A familiar place, Uptown Beer Garden ft. The Uptown Express, is located directly across from my destination. Missed you this year, alas.

To be met by a dog just in front of an event entrance is sheer bliss for an animal lover.

The Welcome Center at LOVE Park, where the Festival of Trees is housed, really does favor a flying saucer. It’s giving the Jetsons animated sitcom vibes.

Cross the threshold into LOVE Park’s Welcome Center by stepping through a pre-lit Christmas ornament archway.

Beneath PNC’s LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo signage is a lighted sofa fitted with royal purple padding. Is Santa arriving with visitors from the House of Windsor?

I was so caught up in photographing these two cuties in this basket that I neglected to notice the proffered commemorative posties and Christmas ornaments. Waa!

Welcome banner hangs high above a circular candy-cane lane that features the Festival of Trees.

Writer Sharon Kozden is welcomed to the Festival of Trees by a reindeer named Phil sporting a royal blue-hued Christmas Village hoodie. Merch!

Commemorative boot mugs came in red and blue. I chose a red one filled with delicious spiked hot chocolate.

While waiting to sit on Santa’s lap for photo ops, we raised our beverage-laden boots in Christmas cheer.

Writer Sharon Kozden greets PR Santa a.k.a. Kory Aversa of Aversa PR and Philly Publicist extraordinaire. He’s also always the host with the most … most love for our fair City.

Complimentary, crispy light bites with apple sauce for the dunking perfectly accompanied my spiked cocoa.

Would you expect anything other than such a bratty link at a place modeled on authentic German open-air markets?

I believe! Actually, I believe that this Santa Claus is channeling both Nick Nolte and Philip Seymour Hoffman, although no one else saw what I did. No matter: he fit the Santa-bill in every way! Ney, Nick … I mean Philip … or rather, Santa … are you ready for my wish list? Sharon Kozden takes a lap on Santa.

What in the Samantha Hill is this be-lighted woman doing with my cap’s tassel? Sharon Kozden takes a naughty turn as directed by the photog.

The Bank of America tree is quite sporting!

The faces in this crowd belong to Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union players.

Wawa participates in the Festival of Trees.

West Pharmaceutical Services competes with its designer-decked creation.

It’s a zoo in there! The Philadelphia Zoo’s LumiNature by PNC sponsors this beauty.

Lovely Rita’s … Italian Ice.

Rita’s Italian Ice features its logo’s colors.

From Left, Nina Castillo and Sharon Kozden prepare to meet their group for the Press Tasting Tour at Christmas Village.

Welcome tent is garland-strung outside, warmly lighted inside and redolent in red and gold.

Child of the corn that I am, I couldn’t get enough Husky Jawn.

A corn-ucopia of flavorful varieties can be discovered at Husky Jawn Corn Roasting Co.

And the glory, the glory of the corn shall be revealed.

Freshly baked Stroopie waffles or “stroopwafels” (Dutch) are made with an adhesive caramel interior between two wafer-thin waffles.

Pennsylvania-based MAZZA Wines featured a demonstration at their bottle shop. Hot wines and honey mead are available, too.

Hand-crafted ornaments such as the mushroom and antler pictured evoke the simple and are natural, elemental treasures.

This stylish twosome (actually there were three–the other Yorkie is on the ground) attracted attention, and why not? Cuteness overload!

This is one very posh little Yorkie canine!

Everything you need to keep warm and toasty from the neck up while discovering Christmas Village can be found at this vendor’s cottage.

I work on a very-very part-time basis at Cleopetra’s Grooming, a dog-grooming salon in Gladwyne and know a groomer who would love this as a gift!

Stoked Pineapple sells thrifted clothing with original screen-printed artwork.

Moon Jewelry offers personalized jewelry medallions.

Clever sign from Winterborn Alpaca draws shoppers.

Käthe Wohlfahrt is “Germany’s top Christmas ornament and decor company, reflecting traditional German handcraft for over 50 years. You will find incense smokers, nutcrackers, pyramids, Schwibbogen, music boxes, wooden and glass ornaments.”