Christmas in Octoberfest

While Halloween is still a few days away, Christmas has taken over at Oakbrook Center.

The outdoor mall in Oak Brook launches a new tradition this weekend with Christkindlmarket, an event mimicking Nuremberg, Germany's centuries-old markets dating back to 1545.

The European-flavored market runs through Nov. 11, when the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest begins preparing for its annual Christkindlmarket at Chicago's Daley Plaza.

The German chamber group hopes to extend its reach by adding the new mall concept, which will serve as a satellite location preceding the big Chicago event.

Chicago's Christkindlmarket attracted more than a million shoppers last year. It kicks off on Thanksgiving and runs through the holidays.

"We'll have a smaller version here at Oakbrook. Maybe it too will grow over the years," said Ray Lotter of Mount Prospect, managing director of Christkindlmarket.

But if you're one of those shoppers who doesn't care to think about Christmas just yet, you could go for a German beer and think of it as more of an Octoberfest, organizers say.

Lotter has grown the festive Chicago market since its conception on Pioneer Court in the city. After two years there, it grew to Michigan Avenue. "It's quite an operation," said Lotter, a native of Germany.

Oakbrook Center's German market features 12 booths as opposed to the nearly 60 that Chicago highlights. Event organizers from the German American Chamber of Commerce gave the booths in Oak Brook a fresh coat of paint earlier last week.

The vendors, from all parts of Germany, are selling an array of items including nutcrackers, hand-blown glass ornaments, Hummel figurines, wine glasses, European chocolates, wooden toys, lace table linens and handmade Christmas ornaments. Because of the early start, shoppers may even find a pumpkin or Halloween decoration mingled in.

And of course, authentic German food and beer are on tap.

"We'll have the warming tent with wine and beer," Lotter said. Hot mulled wine called gluhwein served in little boot-shaped mugs is always a favorite. The aroma of sausages grilling and nuts roasting curl through the air mingling with the fragrance of sauerkraut and gingerbread.

"We're serving all the typical German food," Lotter added.

The centuries-old tradition of the Christmas market is kept alive at more than 2,500 markets throughout Germany. Through the years, the holiday event spread to neighboring countries, including France and Italy. More and more cities in the United States have adopted the tradition as well.

Christkindlmarket (Christ Child Market) is molded after the Nuremberg fest, even featuring the red and white striped canvas on the timber-frame stalls.