Manchester Christmas Markets kick off this week and with it comes copious mugs full of hot chocolate and mulled wine. As much as we love its contents, the Manchester Christmas Markets mugs are a tradition in itself with Manchester City Council revealing today this year’s design.
Known for their wonderfully creative festive graphic designs, the limited edition mugs are a firm favourite of the Christmas Markets and every year they are are snapped up in their tens of thousands with visitors to the markets eager to add to their collection. Previous years have seen kissing snowmen, mistletoe, interactive and wearable red nose reindeers, and even Santa himself.
This year’s exclusive designs, which were revealed on TikTok, feature joyful Christmassy characters such as Santa, Rudolph and polar bears high-fiving each other, celebrating the fun of the festive period. The mugs have been designed by Manchester City Council’s studio team who wanted to portray “the message of unity this Christmas”.
As ever, visitors will be given a mug when purchasing a hot drink and will be asked to pay a £3 deposit (£2 for beer and wine glasses) – and collectors can either choose to return the mug for the deposit, or keep the mug as a memento of their visit to the markets. The mugs will be available at the Christmas Market bars that will be selling mulled wine, gluhwein and hot chocolate across Winter Gardens, Market Street, Cathedral Gardens, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Square, The Corn Exchange and King Street.
Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester City Council’s Christmas Spokesperson, said: “This year’s Christmas market mugs are brilliantly festive and scream Christmas. Their arrival marks that holiday season is truly back in Manchester, the capital of Christmas.
“Over the years our mugs have become incredibly popular, they’re a firm Instagram favourite and have even become collectors items! We know that some visitors have a complete collection of mugs going back more than 10 years – and we expect those people to be first in line for a warming gluhwein or hot chocolate.”
Manchester Christmas Markets will be open daily from 10am till 8pm and bars will be open 11am –9pm between November 10 and December 22 for you to snap up one their festive mugs.