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Pittsburgh's Holiday Market Doubles In Size

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Some 34-hundred miles from the North Pole, as the sleigh flies, the Holiday Market is back for its second season in Market Square.

The village of vendors has more than doubled in size.

The Holiday Market concept started with the Christkindlemarket of Nuremburg, Germany, in 1545.

Speaking of which, the largest new vendor is Kathe Wohlfahrt, a company of craftsmen named for the German woman who founded it.

Visitors are drawn to the hand crafted woodwork from Germany. Manager Stephanie Severin says they're crafted by former miners, in a region where the mines had closed. Works range from nutcrackers to wooden incense burners.

It's a gold mine for a pair of friends who have German in their blood.

"I have German in my family," says Meredith McClung of Connecticut. "And the Germans seem to know how to do Christmas."

"It makes you feel all Christmasy and wonderful, and getting out with the people and enjoying everybody," adds Sue Klipfel of Canonsburg.

It also captures the imagination a certain Canadian, Pittsburgh Penguin Tanner Glass, and his wife, Emily.

"We were in Austria last year for Christmas," Tanner says. "And this is pretty authentic. It's a lot like the ones we saw last year."

It might just be the place to find those special touches.

"I love it," says Emily Glass. "We're always into the Christmas spirit, and it's nice that this is all set up for us here in Pittsburgh."

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