Festive power tools
LES GETS, HAUTE-SAVOIE
When I was in Basel in November 2025, I went to the Christmas Market.
Living in a town in the UK that is overrun by the popularity of its Christmas Market for a few weeks each year, I was a bit meh about stopping by another one.
But the European markets are different. Yes, there are the stalls selling stuff but there was far less tat than at ours. And there was also a big kids’ area where each shed had a different craft to do – candle-making, spinning tops and woodworking.
It took me back to one Christmas a good few years ago in Les Gets, when they had some special festive activities for the kiddies in the town square.
Santa’s Grotto? Non.
Christmassy crèpes? Pas du tout.
Handicrafts and baubles? Absolumment pas!
In actual fact, we queued for hours so our young children could chop up wood with dangerous power tools.
There were about six desks lined up in a small marquee tent and on each sat a benchtop woodcutter.
No health-and-safety tabards, no people with clipboards, no instruction, no demands for each child to be accompanied by an adult.
Just crack on, and bonne chance with the fingers! Zut!
Pleased to report no casualties and we had sculptures/memories/nightmares to last a lifetime!
Can you IMAGINE this happening in the UK?
Brilliant xx