Anja Manke originally from Germany is Manchester Christmas Market’s longest stallholder with 27 years of service with her traditional German Glühwein.

On the topic of her first-ever Christmas Market in Manchester in 1999, Anja said: “It was only a small market on St Anne’s Square with small wooden stalls. There was no water and we rinsed everything with a water kettle. It was completely different. No one knew about Glühwein at that time.”

Anja Manke has been a Manchester Christmas Market stallholder for 27 years. | Jessica Lees via Iconic Media Group

placeholder image — Anja Manke has been a Manchester Christmas Market stallholder for 27 years. | Jessica Lees via Iconic Media Group

Glühwein is Anja’s speciality, she said: “We sell the traditional Glühwein and also some fruit wines, which are prepared by a small winery in Germany for us with our recipe. And the difference our wine has is that it has 10% alcohol, it's not diluted, and there is no sugar added, so it's just the wine and some spices added with our fruit wines.”

On Manchester Christmas Market itself, Anja said: “l couldn't even imagine being in another city, because, first of all, Manchester is like a wonderful city with wonderful people, and it just it also feels really nice to be a part of something big, which also somehow has an impact. You know, the time we come back and we show up somewhere, everybody says, “Christmas is back.” Your people think that you belong to a good thing, and this is very important these days.”

Adding: “I hope I can make another 27 years.”