IT’S BEGINNING to look a lot like Christmas in Hereford.

The bright lights are on, the shops are filling up, and the annual festive market has once more taken its place in the centre of the city.

I went to the first of this year’s Christmas markets, which will run every Thursday and Friday until the big day, to find out if it should be an essential stop on your Christmas shopping sleigh ride route or whether it was just a load of humbug.

Un arrival, I was pleased to see just how festive and friendly High Town looked. The ambience of the market was greatly aided by the large Christmas tree that towered over the festive proceedings, along with the smells emanating from the food and drink stands as well as the atmospheric presence of the old black and white house, which is now free from scaffolding.

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There were a healthy number of stalls this year, with no noticeable decrease from the last time around. There was also a great variety of wares on sale, from artisan gifts to handmade jewellery and most things in between.

If you have not yet begun the process of decorating your house, I highly recommend popping to the market for your Christmas wreaths and other festive foliage, as it was on sale in great abundance at affordable prices at several stalls.

I was somewhat shocked to find natural, homemade wreaths up for sale for under £10, especially as supermarket alternatives often go for a lot more and are usually either artificial or created with significantly less craftsmanship due to them being mass-produced.

Alongside the food and drink stands that have permanently made their home in High Town, I found that mulled wine, traditional Chinese street food and even cocktails were up for grabs meaning there are plenty of opportunities for a drink and a bite to eat if you are so inclined.

The one downside I encountered was unfortunately the weather. While there was still a surprisingly large amount of people roaming about the market, the rain meant it was hardly the bustling crowd one might hope for.

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After speaking to a few stallholders, I found that they had all been negatively affected by the downpour, however, most remained optimistic that we Herefordians were of a hardy stock and would make our way to market no matter what.

The Hereford Christmas market presents not just a chance to get your hands on unique gifts and goodies at affordable prices, but also the opportunity to support local makers and creators in a time when big businesses are increasingly dominating the Yuletide season.

So, I say try to make some time to have a wander around the stalls this year and maybe bring a raincoat just in case.