Most had not planted their wares on the streets for most of the year due to the pandemic, but The Christmas Market organized by the Department of Culture of the City Council of Badajoz on Paseo de San Francisco, which closes its doors today, has been one of the few Christmas activities that has been maintained and has allowed a respite to the artisans who have exhibited in the central square. Sales have been lower than in previous years, due to capacity limitations, because of rainy and cold days and because it opened two weeks later than usual (since December 9). Still, the sellers are grateful to be back in business.
Since 2015, the wooden toy stall from Granada has not missed his appointment. Leandro Losa admits that in previous Christmases they sold much more, but he is “happy” with the result, despite the fact that the weather has not been good. «Each one will have their version but I am happy because it is an opportunity to be able to work, it has been a quite complicated year, it has not been normal for those of us who dedicate ourselves only to fairs and festivals such as medieval ones and whatever enters the house will allow for at least cover holes, “he argues.
In order to open the market, the entire environment was fenced off, a single entrance and one exit was established and the capacity was limited to 300 people. To Leandro Losa all these measures and how the market has been organized have seemed “correct”, but that together with the cold has meant that “people go in a hurry and do not stop so much.” As for the restrictions, “they have done very well, they have been very professional, they didn’t even let me out through the entrance,” he jokes. All this has not prevented him from continuing to think that Badajoz “is one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Spain.”
Mariángeles Fernández exhibits for the first time in San Francisco, where she has installed with Portuguese earthenware. He does not complain about the result. “People wanted to buy and I wanted to sell” and this year without any fair “at least it was an opportunity to work on something.” This woman had not exhibited her merchandise since last Christmas. This has been the only activity in 2020, because they start working in March, when everything was suspended. “I am happy with how the public has treated me” and promises to return next Christmas “if the covid allows us.”
It is also the first year on the market for a stall with balloon twisting, minerals and macramé. The balloon company is dedicated to decorating celebrations, which the pandemic has suspended, and “at least December has been better for the market”, although “weak”, according to Verónica Rodríguez, for whom this appointment “has been a very beautiful experience ». Rocío Martínez runs the Artisans Panvira stand, of sweets and breads, which she has not sold as in previous Christmases and they have also had “double duty” since all the products are individually bagged. Although there have been many days in which the capacity has been reached, Rocío notes that the people were not in the stalls but on the terraces of the two kiosks and also the circuit of the route has not favored the booths on the side of the Post Office. They have been riding in San Francisco for several years “and we have always done very well, but this year you don’t see the sweets and you can’t eat them with the masks, it has been to support us,” he says. He has never missed this appointment, since he started in San Atón, the nougat stand of Castuera de Antolín León. Neither in this edition and they have done “well”, says Antolín Fernández. “We thought it would not be accepted this year, but it has gone very well,” he says. “It has not been sold like other years, but it has been sold.” They say that they have not been able to attend any fair in 2020. In addition, in San Francisco its location, next to the entrance, has benefited them.
The Councilor for Culture, Paloma Morcillo, is also satisfied with the good reception from the market. The balance cannot be the same as in previous editions, which was measured by the number of people who attended. It happened with the last Book Fair, which attracted less public but more readers. “People really wanted the market,” he says and there have been days when hundreds of people have passed, always respecting the capacity. Of course, it has been possible to walk with “tranquility” because “there has not been a lot”. He acknowledges that it could have been a disorder to organize an exit and an entrance, but “people in general have been patient” and have turned around, also in the queue to gain access. “It was the only way to control it,” he stresses. According to the Postal Ambassador, many children have come to bring him his letters. The workshops in the San Francisco marquee have also been filled, which had expanded the surface so that there was more distance “and they have worked very well”, such as those in the Museo del Carnaval. Christmas has not passed by San Francisco.
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