With Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets now just over a fortnight away, the design of this year’s Christmas mugs has been revealed – and eagle-eyed Mancunians are going to love the colourful, playful nod they give to city centre landmarks and to the city’s annual festive markets.
Depicting a busy, highly patterned, and brightly coloured toy town Manchester this year’s iconic mugs are choc-full of festive fun and give a real sense of the bustling city centre and Christmas markets in Manchester – both by day and by night!
Spot the Town Hall clocktower, see Manchester’s festive windmill – which has been a fixture of the Christmas Markets in the city pretty much since they first began – and look out for the walk-through shining star light installation from St Peter’s Square, as well as the Christmas tree, and rows of market stalls selling bratwurst and of course, mugs of hot chocolate.
Designed in-house by the city council’s design studio, the highly collectable mugs are the must-have accessory for anyone visiting the markets, with images of them set to fill social media feeds worldwide as the city counts down to Christmas.
The unique souvenir mugs that help spell the start of the festive season for the thousands upon thousands of visitors who descend on Manchester each year to visit the Christmas markets will be available at each of the ten market locations in the city from the opening day of the markets on Friday 7 November, while stocks last.
As ever, anyone wanting to bag a mug for themselves is advised to get down to the markets sooner rather than later and not leave their visit to the last minute.
The advice comes off the back of the last three years which have seen record sales of each year’s edition of the highly coveted mugs with mugs selling out completely and market traders having to bring out vintage mugs from previous years to keep up with the demand from Christmas shoppers.
As always Manchester’s special edition Christmas mugs can either be bought outright by Christmas shoppers or ‘rented’ when they purchase a hot drink at one of the Christmas Market stalls.
The price of the mugs has been kept the same as last year with customers asked to pay a deposit of £3.50 for their mug when they purchase either a hot chocolate or a gluhwein. They can then either choose to return their mug to the stall afterwards to get their deposit back, or keep the mug and take it home with them as a souvenir of their visit to Manchester and the markets.
Councillor Pat Karney, Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: “Top marks once again to our fantastic designers for coming up with yet another brilliant design for our iconic Christmas mugs which we know people are going to absolutely love, this year depicting Manchester in all its twinkly pretty-as-a-picture festive glory at Christmas – it’s even snowing!
“Over the years our Christmas mugs have become truly the stuff of legend and are very much sought after – including by Santa himself, who refuses to set off on his journey swooping through the night skies of Manchester on Christmas Eve until he’s eaten his mince pie and downed his hot chocolate in its souvenir Christmas mug that we leave out for him every year on the roof of Central Library. He must have quite the collection of mugs by now at home in the North Pole!
“Don’t be like Santa though and think you can leave it ’til Christmas Eve to get hold of a mug. Come down and join us well before then at our world-famous Christmas Markets and celebrate the festive season with us here in the best city in the world, in true Manchester style!”
Manchester’s Christmas Markets will open at ten locations across the city on Friday 7 November and close on Monday 22 December, except for A Taste of Christmas on Albert Square and the stalls at Cathedral Gardens which will remain open throughout the Christmas period until 4 January 2026.
Christmas in Manchester will also see the Skate Manchester Ice Rink in Cathedral Gardens open for Christmas skaters from Friday 7 November until Sunday 4 January, and the magical Manchester Christmas Parade which will take place on Sunday 7 December.
Find out more information about Christmas in Manchester
