Sugarplums | #CDM2023 Vendor
Tell us about your business
We sell cakes and cupcakes year round.
What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023?
We have been participating in the Christkindlmarket Des Moines since its second year.
What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023 and why did you choose them?
We specialize in German Gingerbreads and cookies for Christkindlmarket Des Moines. Our best sellers are Lebkuchen and Pfeffernuss. Lebkuchen is the gingerbread that we start making about a month before the market so it has time to soften and for the flavors to meld.
Anything else you’d like to share?
This is our favorite event every year and we’re looking forward to it!
Des Moines Refugee Support – CDM 2023 Non-Profit Silent Auction Tree Participant
The Christkindlmarket Des Moines Silent Auction will be featuring 12 Iowa non-profit organizations and their festive tree creations in our Weihnachtswald tent during CDM 2023 November 30 – December 3, 2023.
Des Moines Refugee Support (DMRS) is participating in the CDM Silent Auction for a second year. They love partnering with cultural events that encourage people to be proud of where they are from and celebrate the diversity of Des Moines.
DMRS identifies and bridges gaps for refugee families as they establish their new lives in Iowa. They need ongoing funding for preschool transportation for kids who would otherwise not be able to go, support for their Success Through Soccer program, and food distribution. Proceeds from the DMRS tree will go directly to fund these need. Here is their tree from 2022. So lovely!
Come see what DMRS has in the works for a festive tree, visit Christkindlmarket Des Moines November 30 – December 3, 2023!
Daughters of Norway – CDM 2023 Non-Profit Silent Auction Tree Participant
The Christkindlmarket Des Moines Silent Auction will be featuring 12 Iowa non-profit organizations and their festive tree creations in our Weihnachtswald tent during CDM 2023 November 30 – December 3, 2023.
The Daughters of Norway have been staples in the Weihnachtswald since our inaugural year in 2016. Eva Nansen Lodge 46 became the first Iowa lodge to bear the name Daughters of Norway on November 5, 2006 with forty-six charter members representing Norway, Denmark, and Sweden ancestries. Membership is available not only to Norwegians, but women with Danish, Swedish, Finnish, and Icelandic connections. The Lodge Sisters pride themselves in offering educational and festive events, cultural programs and activities, and social gatherings. Lifelong Nordic friendships have developed while sharing common interests. The Daughters of Norway continue to participate in the CDM Silent Auction because it promotes their organization to a broader audience so people are more aware of their existence. The lodge members create fantastic trees by working together to craft many of the ornaments and enjoy the camaraderie on decoration day. Here is their tree from 2022. Isn’t it amazing?
If you are excited to see what Daughter of Norway have in store for us this year, visit Christkindlmarket Des Moines November 30 – December 3, 2023!
CDM 2023 Non-Profit Silent Auction Tree Participants
We are thrilled to be gearing up for Christkindlmarket 2023. This year’s market sees the return of patron favorites and new vendors to entice and excite! The Silent Auction is no different. We have nine returning nonprofits and three new organizations waiting to showcase amazing trees for our market goers to bid on, take home, and enjoy for the remainder of the holiday season.
List of Participants:
• Daughter of Norway-Eva Nansen Lodge
• Hope Animal Rescue of Iowa
• Des Moines Refugee Support
• Italian-American Cultural Center of Iowa
• Can Do Cancer
• AFS Intercultural Programs USA
• Serving Hands, INC.
• Living History Farms
• Alliance Française of Central Iowa
• Self-Help International
• Danish Brotherhood Lodge #15
• Sons of Noray Marsteinen Lodge
The Silent Auction will begin the first day of the market, Thursday, November 30 at 5pm and conclude Sunday, December 3 at 5pm. Winning bidders will be notified via our text-to-bid platform and all trees will be wrapped and ready for pick up between 5:30pm and 7:30 pm Sunday evening directly following the end of Christkindlmarket 2023.
Keep checking out this blog for features on each participation organization!
Good Moon Pottery | #CDM2023 Vendor
Tell us about your business
My moto is “unique pottery to make your every day rituals special”. My pots are intended to be used every day, and should bring a smile to your face every time you use them. I think choosing a handmade mug for your coffee or a sweet little ceramic tumbler can bring a little charm to regular activities. I love infusing humor into my work, often playing on favorite phrases like “Good Vibes Only” paired with a skull and crossbones, or two loooooong wiener dogs kissing across the length of a mug body.
What inspired you to get involved as a vendor at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023?
I’ve loved the Christkindlemarket for years and last year was the first time I had the courage to apply as a vendor. It was an amazing experience — and not just the freezing wind! People are friendly, the vibe is so festive, the food is incredible, and who doesn’t want to listen to polka all day?!
What products will you be selling at Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2023 and why did you choose them?
Unique pottery including mugs, dishes, and special items like Christmas Ornaments! Tons of gift options for folks that appreciate beautiful but accessible handmade ceramics that are completely unique. None of my pieces are exactly the same, and that is something I cherish.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Stop by my hut to try the Good Moon Pottery Machine!! Our vending machine dispenses something better than candy… for the price of a token you can get a special tiny pot!
Daughters of Penelope Zeus #38 | #CDM2023 Nonprofit Partner
Christkindlmarket Des Moines is pleased to partner with Daughters of Penelope Zeus #38 as a Nonprofit Partner this year.
Daughters of Penelope Zeus #38 and their team of volunteers will be managing a point of sale at the Glühwein Tent on Thursday and Saturday. All cash tips placed in their tip jar at their point of sale will go directly to their organization. The Iowa European Cultural Connection, the nonprofit that produces Christkindlmarket Des Moines, will also make a $500 donation as part of our partnership.
The Mission of the Daughters of Penelope is to promote Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, Family and Individual Excellence.
The Daughters of Penelope was the realization of Alexandra Apostolides’ dream. Her desire was to create a woman’s organization and because of her perseverance and the encouragement of her husband Dr. Emanuel Apostolides, a devoted AHEPAN, she formed EOS Chapter#1 with 25 charter members on November 16, 1929, in San Francisco, California. She was elected the first Grand President of the organization in 1931.
Des Moines Children’s Museum | #CDM2023 Nonprofit Partner
Christkindlmarket Des Moines is pleased to partner with Des Moines Children’s Museum as a Nonprofit Partner this year.
Des Moines Children’s Museum and their team of volunteers will be managing a point of sale at the Glühwein Tent on Thursday and Friday. All cash tips placed in their tip jar at their point of sale will go directly to their organization. The Iowa European Cultural Connection, the nonprofit that produces Christkindlmarket Des Moines, will also make a $500 donation as part of our partnership.
The Des Moines Children’s Museum’s mission is to build the foundation of lifelong learning by promoting the power of play.
We Value: Play, Connections, Creativity & Curiosity, Innovation, Research, Impressive Persistence, Inclusivity.
Our vision is a playful museum, always striving to be better, helping families connect with each other, community resources, and the world.
Children Invited to Participate in Opening Ceremony Procession
Children are an integral component of any Christkindlmarket opening ceremony. Would your child (children) like to follow “Saint Nicholas” through Christkindlmarket Des Moines to participate in the opening ceremony?
Contact Dave Cox at [email protected] with questions and interest. We would like at most 25 children to participate.
Children and parents are invited to gather in the Entrance of the venue at 5:40pm on Friday, December 1, (please be on time) to receive a luminary and battery-operated candle. Please return the luminaries to a volunteer at the end of the opening ceremony if your child does not wish to take it home.
Des Moines Refugee Support | #CDM2023 Nonprofit Partner
Christkindlmarket Des Moines is pleased to partner with Des Moines Refugee Support as a Nonprofit Partner this year.
Des Moines Refugee Support and their team of volunteers will be managing a point of sale at the Glühwein Tent on Saturday and Sunday. All cash tips placed in their tip jar at their point of sale will go directly to their organization. The Iowa European Cultural Connection, the nonprofit that produces Christkindlmarket Des Moines, will also make a $500 donation as part of our partnership.
The mission of Des Moines Refugee Support is to identify and bridge gaps for refugee families, in particular refugee children, as they establish their new lives in America.
There are currently 26.6 million refugees in the World. 6.6 million of them live in refugee camps, which are meant to be temporary, but many people end up staying for decades. Less than 3% of refugees will return to their home country, and just over 2% of refugees will be officially resettled in a different country. Being chosen for resettlement is kind of like winning the lottery! Des Moines Refugee Support works to fill in the gaps for refugees who are chosen to make their new homes in the Des Moines metro!
