This weekend, I went to the Toronto Christmas Market at the Distillery District. It has been active since November 18th, and you’ve got until December 22nd to attend. I would recommend going during the week, when admission is free and the crowds are lighter. I tend not to follow my own advice, so I chose to check it out on a Sunday. To sum up the experience, here are some stray thoughts that say less about the Market and more about my own priorities.

The Christmas Market has waffles. There are very delicious waffles to be bought, waffles that I did not photograph because I was busy stuffing my face. I did get what may be the most enabling holiday motto I have ever seen in my life on camera, and have brought it to you, dear readers. Behold this and follow your dreams of eating way too much this holiday season, without shame. There’s always time for the gym in January, though gyms tend to be packed then. It might be best to wait until February to make any fitness commitments.

It’s always hard, when you’re older, to encounter a merry-go-round in the company of people who will tell you that you’re far too old for them. This is something that might happen at the Christmas Market and it is probably one of the lowest possible points of a trip there. It could make a person question their choice of friends.

For all that you will experience a slice of Christmas before the actual day comes, the Christmas Market has a glowing sign that will tell you how long you have until the day arrives. We’re currently enough days away from Christmas that, if you are an incorrigible procrastinator, you’re definitely not feeling the pressure to blindly purchase anything you see because it hasn’t yet become a race against the clock, and you still see yourself getting it all done eventually. So relax, browse, but maybe think of getting on with the shopping sooner. For your own good.

Don’t pay too much attention to the photo, that’s where the countdown stood on Sunday.

If you go to the Christmas Market, you can eat a waffle with raspberry compote, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream. Apparently, this is Santa’s favourite kind of waffle, which explains a lot about the man.

Christmas ornaments have been getting more eclectic with the passage of time. If you look real hard, you could hang almost anything on your tree. That is if you’re the sort of person that assembles one.

I don’t enjoy hot drinks, but there’s something about being surrounded by the holiday spirit that makes a person crave hot chocolate. I resisted this time, though.

Personally, my level of excitement for anything Christmas-related hit an all-time low ever since Santa stopped reading my letters. Maybe he got raspberry compote and chocolate syrup on them. Nevertheless, it’s hard to be surrounded by so much Christmas and not feel at least a little bit excited, at least if you grew up with the holiday. Even if it isn’t something you’ve ever celebrated in your life, checking out the Christmas Market might still make for a nice outing. They sell cookies there.

And the waffles are delicious.

This content was not sponsored by Wafel Bar, but was written by someone who really enjoyed their product and suffers from a one-track mind. The Toronto Christmas Market website is much more informative about the many things you may find there, though there is no source of information quite like personal experience.