Charming Seattle Christmas Market Returns for the Holiday Season

It is nearly December and I am thrilled for the holiday season ahead. Maybe I’ve watched too many Hallmark Christmas movies, but I just can’t resist the idea of strolling through a local holiday market, sipping hot cocoa and shopping for gifts from local vendors. When I heard the charming Seattle Christmas Market was back for its third year with festive new attractions, I hurried to Seattle Center with my family in tow. 

The Seattle Christmas Market is a European-style market that brings together local artisans, vendors, musicians and others for a spirited holiday shopping experience. It promises fun for the whole family, with activities geared toward kids. 

What’s new at the Seattle Christmas Market? 

First and foremost, tickets to Seattle Christmas Market are more affordable this year. Admission starts at just $7, and entry is free for kids 6 and younger. 

There’s also a new way to get to the Seattle Christmas Market this year: a ride on the Christmas Market Express. It’s a festive trek on the Seattle Monorail from Westlake Center to Seattle Center. Tickets can be purchased online, and the round-trip ride comes with a limited edition Christmas Market puzzle. 

Once you get to the market, there’s plenty of magic to enjoy, from a daily toast at the center of the market to magical “snow” flurries released throughout the day. Visit with Santa’s elves (and take photos with festive props!), send your holiday wish list to the North Pole and keep an eye out for other surprises. 

If your kids love scavenger hunts, they’re in luck with the Find the Elf challenge. Search high and low for Hans, an elf hidden somewhere in the market, and snap a photo when you find him to get a prize. (Clues are shared on the Seattle Christmas Market’s Instagram page.) 

There are also hands-on workshops throughout the season — from crafting crochet critters to planting succulents — if you’d like to give gift-making a try. (I remain the gift-buying type, despite my best efforts.) 

What we loved

We opted to park downtown and took the Christmas Market Express for an extra-festive start to our evening at the market (and my daughter’s first time on the Seattle Monorail!). 

As we walked through the entrance to the Seattle Christmas Market, we were greeted by friendly staff and festive decorations. We admired the twinkling lights and overhead view of the market before walking past a glowing holiday light display with a large train. 

The path down to the marketplace winds through the Wishing Forest, filled with Christmas trees adorned with twinkling lights and wooden ornaments. You can grab an ornament at the forest entrance to write and hang a wish of your own. 

While my priorities were shopping for everyone on my holiday list (and, admittedly, myself), my daughter’s priority was the carousel. Carousel rides are included with admission, and you can go as many times as you want! Even on our visit during opening weekend, the line to ride it stayed short. While it’s not the double-decker carousel we remembered fondly from last year’s visit, the single-level carousel still packs a ton of festive charm. My daughter loved taking a ride on a colorful horse, waving enthusiastically as we rode in circles around. 

We popped inside Fisher Pavilion for a break, which has been transformed into the ski chalet-inspired Alpen Haus for the market. Long tables, string lights, Christmas trees and more decorations made it all the more inviting. There was even a small booth with festive face painting. 

We spotted a bright red mailbox and Santa letter-writing station inside and got to work on my daughter’s wish list. We tucked her letter into the mailbox, but also delighted in seeing Santa himself walking around the market! The casual meet-and-greet style meant we got to wave, snap a few photos and even chat with him about the holiday season. Santa wears a unique European-inspired blue suit, which makes for festive Santa photos. 

There are plenty more photo ops throughout the market, from the charming holiday light displays to the inside of the market’s walk-through Christmas tree. 

What to eat and drink 

Maybe it was all the walking, but we definitely worked up an appetite during our evening at the Christmas Market. While we sampled delicious toffee popcorn and cannoli for a snack, we wanted a heartier meal. There were so many options to choose from, it was nearly impossible to decide. I spotted paella, barbecue, bratwurst, pretzels, pierogies and more. 

We opted for schnitzel sliders with mushroom gravy and potato salad, which we ate inside the Alpen Haus. My daughter also couldn’t resist a magical hot chocolate with blow-torched marshmallow topping as a special treat.

At the center of the market sits a life-size Christmas pyramid, which is a traditional German holiday decoration. At ground level, adults can buy a cup of gluhwein — hot mulled wine — while kids can enjoy the kinderpunsch. The second floor of the pyramid has a stage for daily music. This is also where you’ll find the magical daily snowfall. 

Finding a unique gift 

This year, I am bound and determined to pick out a unique, handmade or locally made gift for everyone on my list. The Seattle Christmas Market brings together such wonderful vendors, and I found things that I haven’t seen elsewhere. Handmade plush animals, delicate jewelry — I found myself lingering at each booth to admire every option (and add to my own Christmas wish list). I loved chatting with the vendors and hearing more about their offerings. 

If you are hoping to get inspiration for your children’s holiday wish list, a few of the booths had really wonderful options. The Lavender & Berries booth had puzzles of all sizes with adorable illustrated scenes from the Pacific Northwest (my daughter picked out one with a smiling sun and rainbow). The Toy Chest offered paint-by-number kits, 3D painting sets and unique sensory toys from Fainotoys, unlike any other art kits I’ve seen. And the unique crochet creations at Egg Atelier’s Yarn & Hook booth also caught my eye (and my daughter’s) — it was hard to resist a small Hello Kitty keychain. 

More to do at Seattle Center

You really can’t beat the Seattle Christmas Market’s location. Nestled in Seattle Center, you get stunning views of the Space Needle from every spot in the market, and you can walk by the International Fountain on your way out. (We stopped to admire it, reminiscing about the warmer days of summer.) 

There is also the Artists at Play playground for adventure seekers, where kids can climb to the highest heights. Make a full day of it and explore the Pacific Science Center or Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP).

Editor’s note: Nancy Chaney originally reported on this holiday event for ParentMap in 2023 and contributed to this article. The article was updated on Nov. 24, 2025, to include all new details for the current season, after ParentMap’s family fun editor, Meredith Charaba, visited with her family.