| It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, all over social media. Stacey Vanek Smith visited one very Instagrammable spot to see how virality is affecting the bottom line for vendors. Plus: Can the world’s virtual sports bar make the move from X to Bluesky? And a look back one of our most-read stories of the year. If this email was forwarded to you, click here to sign up. It’s 22F in New York City’s Bryant Park, and the “wintry mix” is in full force: freezing rain, perilously slick sidewalks, face-numbing wind. What could possibly compel a rational person to stand in line in this weather? "Honestly, I came for the strawberries," says Annie Diaz, who traveled from New Jersey to the park’s holiday market with her boyfriend. Like everyone else shivering in line, they’re waiting to try the mega-viral dessert at the Strawberro booth: a cup of strawberries drenched in Belgian chocolate and pistachio cream, then sprinkled with crushed pistachios. “She saw the videos, so of course we had to come,” says Josue Martinez. One TikTok post by Ella Kahan about the market’s food (“Chocolate-covered strawberries are definitely having a moment right now”) has been watched by more than 4 million people. Diaz and Martinez estimate the line will take about an hour, and when they reach the end of it, they will each fork over $25 for a coveted cup. Welcome to the modern Christmas market economy, where centuries-old tradition meets capitalism and social media. These winter festivals have existed since the 1300s, when they provided an excuse for locals to gather and warm their hands and spirits during the coldest, darkest part of the year. Today’s markets are meticulously orchestrated machines that are bringing in millions of dollars and attracting visitors from all over the world. “These markets have become much more sophisticated," says Dimitrios Buhalis, professor of tourism, technology and marketing at Bournemouth University in the UK. He points out that markets in Edinburgh, Chicago, New York, Stockholm, Vienna and Strasbourg, France, are seeing more visitors every year, with many traveling from abroad for the promise of a holiday experience worth bragging about. “Especially after Covid, people realize life is not about stuff, it’s about moments—and sharing those moments with others,” Buhalis says. (This year, consumer spending on services and experiences has continued to grow, even as spending on goods–aka stuff–has declined.) And that sharing part is where all the social media comes in. After all, if you try the rainbow grilled cheese sandwich and nobody is around to film it, did it really happen? The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is eminently Instagrammable, from the 45-foot tree and its glittering lights, to the ice rink (where skate rentals will run you $20) and luxury dining igloos ($242 for 90 minutes). Then there’s the hundreds of vendors selling such gifts as novelty socks, raingear for dogs, olive wood cutting boards and blown glass ornaments.  The holiday market at Bryant Park offers all kinds of meals. Photographer: Jimin Kim/AP Photo But the undisputed star is the food. Multiple dishes have achieved internet superstardom this year, including fried pickles on a stick, a s’mores hot chocolate and a raclette sandwich. The logistics aren’t simple: Vendors battle freezing temperatures without running water. And they fork over as much as $40,000 dollars to rent a booth for eight weeks from the hospitality company UrbanSpace, not to mention handing over a hefty cut of daily sales. But the cost and trouble has its payoffs. “Incredibly busy doesn’t even come close to describing the foot traffic,” says Ariel Strizower, whose Gnocchi on 9th stand became a sensation for its gnocchi alla vodka—dumplings covered in creamy tomato sauce and topped with a fist-size ball of burrata cheese. The stand sells about 1,000 boxes of gnocchi every day at $20 a pop, double what Strizower charges at his regular locations. On Thursday, a couple of those boxes went to Avery Donnelly, 18, from New York’s Long Island, and her family. Donnelly saw dozens of videos on TikTok featuring the must-try foods, and pushed her family to make a day of exploring them. “It’s good with the chili flakes,” Avery says thoughtfully. “I really like it with the burrata.” Her mother, Siobhan Donnelly, is less impressed. “Could be more vodka-y. I’m going to give it a 6.5 out of 10 … maybe a 7.” “That’s low,” Avery protests. As the family debates the gnocchi’s merits, they’re waiting in the hourlong line for Strawberro’s Dubai strawberry cup. “It’s expensive,” Siobhan says, “but it’s the experience, right? Taking pictures for the family, seeing everything lit up at night.” For Anna and Vasily Malyshev, owners of the Strawberro booth, the newfound TikTok fame feels a little like winning the lottery. They’ve struggled running food stands at festivals and farmers markets in the past, but now they are selling 1,000 pounds of strawberries every day. “We didn’t pay anybody, we didn’t do any marketing,” Vasily says. “We started to realize it might be going viral when the market came to us and said, ‘OK guys, we need to somehow organize the crowd.’” “People just started to post more and more and more,” Anna says. That buzz has attracted not only customers but also investors, who want to help the couple open a permanent storefront. “And after that, the sky’s the limit!” Anna says. As the sky grows darker and the lights come on, Avery and Siobhan Donnolly reach the front of the Strawberro line. They’re happy customers: “It’s unbelievable,” Siobhan raves, “12 out of 10.” Avery agrees. She plans to make her own TikTok review. Moments like these are exactly what people are hoping to find when they come to these markets, says the professor Buhalis. The real appeal is as old as the tradition itself: a place to enjoy a moment with friends and family. “It’s winter. People want a light in the darkness, and that’s what these markets are.” He pauses. “Now, I would like to see this strawberry chocolate with pistachio. Maybe I need to come to New York and try this.” | 
