Kosta Christmas market - a wonderful Christmas atmosphere in the Kingdom of Crystal.

Text and photo: Helena Bergström

Updated: October 2026 | Kosta Christmas Market is something special! Here in the heart of the Kingdom of Crystal you can experience Christmas shopping, crafts, glass art and millions of Christmas lights. There are also Christmas activities for the whole family and the opportunity to experience the Småland tradition of "hyttsirl", with food, music and glassblowing.

Kosta Christmas market – crafts, glass and delicacies

Kosta Christmas Market is a classic Christmas market with charming market stalls, crafts and delicacies. Here you will find Christmas decorations, hand-cast candles, wrought iron items, sheepskin, cheeses and other goodies. What makes the market a little special is of course the proximity to the glassworks, all the glass art and the fantastic Christmas lights.

We visited the Christmas market with our camper van, in connection with a collaboration with the Kingdom of Crystal. It was a weekend filled with Christmas spirit, good food and several memorable experiences.

For families with children, there is also Santa's World, which you reach through a beautifully snow-covered spruce forest. As adults, we perhaps appreciated the delicate walk through the forest the most, while the children will probably find it most fun to meet Santa and discover everything there is to see in his world.

Millions of Christmas lights illuminate Kosta

One of the great experiences of the Kosta Christmas Market is all the Christmas lights. According to the organizer, around six million lights are lit, transforming the small glassworks town into a sparkling winter landscape.

We were there during an opening ceremony when Måns Zelmerlöw both gave the opening speech and sang in front of a large audience. Then it was time to light all the Christmas lights, and it was truly a powerful experience!

In our photo from the opening, we think we've managed to capture the atmosphere, even though it's hard to guess that the little glowing dot on the podium is actually everyone's Måns. We still laugh when we see the picture – not the most successful artist photo in world history, but glittering in gold can't be wrong!

The opening ceremony ended with colorful fireworks that lit up the sky over Kosta. When darkness fell, it almost felt like every tree and every facade was shining against the dark evening sky. Just what you need on a chilly November evening!

Even later in the evening, when the Christmas market had closed for the day, it was nice to walk past and enjoy all the light installations. What a beautiful light at night!

Herring in the glass hut – a Småland tradition

We celebrated the opening day of the Kosta Christmas Market by trying the local tradition of herring in a glasshouse. It is an old custom in the Kingdom of Crystal, dating back to the time when the glasshouse was the natural gathering place for the community.

When the glassblowers had finished their work for the day, the hot ovens could be used for cooking. Salted herring and potatoes were cooked in the ashes, and the work crew and their families, as well as hunters and wandering vagrants from the area, gathered around the food.

To this day, cabin herring is a special experience, where food is combined with community, entertainment and glassblowing.

The traditional food consists of salted herring with onions and cream, lard, salt pork and baked potatoes. Since we were here during the Christmas market period, the buffet was also supplemented with Christmas classics such as ham, meatballs, prince sausage, beetroot salad and Jansson's temptation. For dessert, of course, Småland cheesecake with jam and cream was served.

But perhaps the biggest highlight was the entertainment! During our evening, two pleasant troubadours played, but what we appreciated most was the glassblower who worked in the glassworks, talked about his craft and let eager guests try their hand at blowing glass.

It was a really nice evening, and we can highly recommend the experience. During the Christmas market period, special Christmas cabin parties are arranged, often with different artists and musicians. These need to be booked separately.

Kosta Christmas market by campervan – overnight stay at Kosta Lodge

We visited Kosta by camper van and stayed overnight at the Kosta Lodge campsite. When we were here, in connection with the opening of the Christmas market, there were about twenty camper vans on site.

Kosta Lodge now has a well-equipped camping site with electricity all year round, a service house with toilets and showers, and the possibility of filling fresh water and emptying the latrine. There are also hotel rooms, cabins and a restaurant.

Another attraction is the facility's swimming facilities, including a jacuzzi and sauna. Several of our neighbors in the parking lot enthusiastically told us that they had gone swimming or were planning to do so, and of course we were tempted too.

But when we returned after the evening of herring, the swimming pool had closed for the day. We had to settle for taking a few photos and thinking that it would be another time. At least it looked very cozy!

When is the Kosta Christmas Market?

The Kosta Christmas Market is usually held from November to the end of December. During this period, you can experience Christmas shopping, crafts, light installations and various activities for both children and adults.

The Christmas market has an entrance fee, and some experiences, such as Christmas cabin herring and Christmas table, must be booked separately. Exact dates, opening hours and programs vary from year to year. Current information is available at Destination Kosta.

More to see and do in Kosta and the Kingdom of Crystal

There is much more to discover in Kosta than the Christmas market! Here you can experience glassblowing, fascinating glass art, shopping and Småland delicacies. Read our report about to visit Kosta in the Kingdom of Crystal, where we talk about our favorites.

If you want to explore more of the area, you will also find plenty of inspiration in our guide to things to do in the Kingdom of Crystal, with tips on glassmaking, crafts, nature experiences and excursions.

Do you want to experience even more Christmas spirit? Here we have collected tips on Christmas markets in Sweden, from north to south.