Twenty five years! The City of Liege's Christmas Village (Village de Nöel) is not only the largest one of its kind in Belgium it also the one with the longest pedigree. Building on the long-standing Germanic legacy of Christmas markets, Liege's Christmas Village aspires to turn the city centre into a place that is filled with the special magical and enchanting spirit of Christmas festivities. Cleaving to its Latin roots, as reflected in the Village Council competition and its various chalets offering myriad culinary delights, the Christmas Village has broken new ground by creating a warm and festive atmosphere, its main distinguishing feature, helping it to stand out from similar festivities of the Germanic and Alsatian variety.

What is the difference between a Christmas village and a Christmas market? Where do we begin? Well let us start with its spirit, the parochial approach, the spirit of an authentic village, where the cheeky humour of the inhabitants (we mean the exhibitors) is matched by the extravaganza of products on display outside the timber chalets. Account also has to be taken of the organisation, in this case revolving around a Village Council comprising a Mayor, aldermen and councillors in charge of folk entertainment in the context of the Village activities. Next you have the layout, streets and alleyways, plus the squares featuring a town hall, a church and post office... And above all, the warm atmosphere in the midst of the winter wonderland, the extremely warm-hearted, hospitable approach and... one of a kind!

Over the last 25 years, the Liege Christmas Village has carved out the role of being the top Christmas market in Belgium, thanks to its scale, the time it lasts and the atmosphere. The 200 chalets attract an estimated one million and a half visitors to Liege every year, with an increasing number people from abroad turning up to join in the fun…

The Christmas Village post office has a new special Village stamp, to commemorate the 25th instalment … Take note all you collectors!

Next to their town hall and church, the Christmas Village's municipal Councillors have a post office to offer … The post office has to ensure the Christmas greetings visitors to the Village send reach their destinations in all the corners of the globe! The greetings cards available can be used by visitors to receive the special Village stamp, and to stick on a special "Christmas Village" postage stamp (representing the chalets, the toboggan run and the steps) and then pop their greeting cards into a special letter box, emptied every day by the Village delivery staff…

"Gift ideas": the collection of Village Christmas balls featuring Walloon and Liege folk characters

A few years ago, the Christmas Village put on display a collection of distinctive Christmas balls featuring a series of Liege and Walloon folk characters: Tchantchès, Nanesse, Marcatchou, the miner, Gilles de Binche…. Genuine works of art created by authentic craftspeople according to plans dreamed up by a creative Liege couple, these characters are produced according to traditional methods: hand-blown, hand-painted glass!

Nearly 20 or so different balls are accompanied this year, for the Village's 25th appearance, by a special Christmas ball commemorating the event's 25th year. This features a farandole with Tchantchès, and a pointed ball for the Christmas tree!