Visitors won't be sipping spiced wine from a boot at Christkindlmarket this year.
The market unveiled a new holiday-themed souvenir mug for 2013 that depicts visitors, an angel and the Chicago skyline in the midst of a winter wonderland. But instead of the famous boot, the design is decorating a thin, "flute" shaped mug.
Many Christkindl fans responded to the new design with shock. One Facebook user exclaimed, "Where is DAS BOOT?!?!" while another jokingly said his "ornamental feet" wouldn't fit inside the new mug. However, other users welcomed the change and commented on its beauty.
This is not the first boot-free year at Christkindlmarket. The market's Facebook page has an album showcasing different designs it has used since 1996, and for several years, visitors drank out of traditional mugs. The first boot didn't appear until 2005.
For those who are distraught about the lack of boot, officials said they will fill mugs from previous years if visitors bring them.
Christkindlmarket opens on Tuesday and will be at Daley Plaza until Dec. 24. It will run Sundays-Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It will also be open Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve days from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
