Christmas shopping at Irene Market

Clare Appleyard – 18 December 2010

With only a few days to Christmas, Joburgers are filling shopping centres across Gauteng in search of the perfect Christmas present. At this time of the year, markets are a dime a dozen and one of the most popular Gauteng markets is the Irene Christmas Market. The Irene Village Market is traditionally held on the second and last Saturday of each month, from 09h00 to 14h00.

Situated on the historic and beautiful grounds of Smuts House Museum, the market provides a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of daily Gauteng living.

Get there early – not only to avoid the traffic jam on the narrow country entrance road, but to take advantage of the deli section of the market, where you can buy freshly baked breads, muffins and cakes before they sell out (trust me, they sell out fast!).

You’ll find delicious cupcakes, organic honey, cheese, exotic spices, free-range jumbo eggs and freshly squeezed fruit juices.

Bottled vinaigrettes, olive tapenades, homemade mustards, tomato and chilli jams, Turkish delight and balsamic reductions are all packaged beautifully for the ideal, and cost-effective, Christmas gift.

When you’ve had your fill of deli delights, take a wander through the antique section of the market. Here you’ll find a wide range of antique glassware, cutlery, brassware, suitcases, tea sets, dinner services and vinyl records, to name but a few of the collectibles on display. Keep your eye open for bargains; antique lovers will be sure to find a few goodies for friends and family.

After all this shopping, you’ll want to recharge and refresh with some mid-morning tea or lunch. A variety of food stalls will satisfy even the fussiest taste buds.

There is a delightful, fully licensed tea garden where you can order a refreshing cup of tea with scones and jam, or a full lunch with all the trimmings.

If you fancy something a little less formal, grab a samoosa, vetkoek, schwarma or some calamari and chips, find a seat on a hay bale or park bench and enjoy your snack under the shade of the pine trees.

The art and craft section is the largest section of the Irene Market and the layout leads you on a winding trail through a fragrant pine forest.

This is where you will see creativity at its best; the obvious talent and imagination of the exhibitors always amazes me.

Landscape and portrait paintings, sculptures, carvings and fabrics are the backbone of this part of the market, but be intrigued by the handmade jewellery, beaded trinkets, colourful candles and creative metalwork displayed among the trees.

Finally, what market would be complete without a few book stalls?

As a devout bookworm, I am always on the hunt for a bargain or two, and this need was easily satisfied at Irene Market, where I stopped at three stalls to peruse the collection of (mostly) paperbacks and couldn’t resist picking up three or four books to top up my bookcase!

If you have some second-hand books to trade in, stop by the 2-for-1 stand where you can swop two of your second-hand books for one off the display, for no charge at all. Now, that sounds like a deal!