Christmas bells are ringing, and the Carmel Christkindlmarket is open.

The Christkindlmarkt is a German Christmas market located in Carmel. At the market, visitors can purchase assorted Christmas items, such as ornaments, mugs, and traditional German trinkets. There is also an ice skating rink in the center of the plaza.

I started my review with a drive to Carmel; from the high school, it is about a 45 minute drive. I took 69 and 465, and the drive was relatively easy with little to no traffic. 

We arrived at the market at 3:30 p.m in time for our reserved ice skating time. Ice skating tickets are sold in 1.5 hour sessions and there are 30 minutes between each session to clean the ice. Tickets are $15 with skate rental or $11 with no skate rental. Because it was raining, the rink was wet, and it made it difficult to skate; however, it was significantly less busy than when I had been in the past. The rink is surrounded by Christmas lights and the stores from the market, which truly made me feel like I was living in a Hallmark movie.

Christmas music played throughout the market which added to the ambiance. It was rainy and cold; however, this did not taint my experience. Conveniently located around the rink were heaters and fires that visitors could stand by, even while skating. Upon entering the market, I was cold and dreading the rain, but by the time I was on the rink, it felt as if the rain and cold had gone away and all that was left was me and the rink. The ice skating was the highlight of my Christkindlmarket experience, and I will definitely be going back again.

After I finished the ice skating session, I decided to walk around the market and look at all of the different items being sold. I saw a lot of handmade ornaments, German steins, and other delicately made trinkets. Most of the items I saw were expensive, so I did not end up purchasing anything. 

The market also has a lot of traditional German foods. I opted for an apple tart and a caramel hot chocolate. The apple tart was $7; however, I only paid for one, and they gave me two. I was expecting the tart to be warm and comforting; however, it was cold and did not taste very fresh. The flavor of the overall tart was good, and it reminded me of a croissant with apple pie filling in the center. I also bought a salted caramel hot chocolate for $7. The hot chocolate was 12 oz. and came topped with a light, fresh whipped cream, salted caramel flakes, and a sugar cookie that reminded me of a Scooby Snack on top. The whipped cream, cookie, and caramel were delightful; however, the hot chocolate itself did not have any notes of caramel, which was disappointing for me. All of the food smelled amazing, and the entire market was filled with smells of freshly baked pastries, pastrami and brats. There were also igloos in the corner of the market where visitors could sit and eat their food in warm enclosures away from the cold.

Because the market is located in the center of downtown Carmel, there were many restaurants and activities nearby. The streets were lined with Christmas decorations and lights. I decided to eat dinner at Bazbeaux Pizza, which was within walking distance of the market. I ordered a margherita pizza, and it was one of the best pizzas I have ever had.

Overall, the Carmel Christkindlmarket is a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas and can be made into an entire experience. It will be open until Christmas eve.