The Magazine

Visit a European Christmas market for Foursquare’s latest badge

31

on December 1st, 2012

Each Winter, Christmas markets pop up around Europe, selling things like hand-made toys, clothes, wine and baked goods. This year shoppers will be in for an extra treat when they check in there on Foursquare: the Oh Tannenbaum badge.

Users can earn this core badge simply by checking in at one of these markets in Europe. The unlock text reads:

Glühwein? Check. Lebkuchen? Ja. Gifts? Of course. Give Santa a high five and soak in the magic of the Christmas markets. They come but once a year!

Like the dedicated UK badges released over the past month, it appears this badge is designed to cater to the European market, which Foursquare is focusing heavily on right now. They’ve long taken flack for the US (and especially New York) centricity of their badges, so as they try to make inroads with companies and users in Europe, it makes sense to create at least a few badges that honor some of their traditions.

What do you think of the badge?

  • Thomas

    I’m going to Wiener Christkindlmarkt on 19 December will be still active?

  • https://www.foursquare.com/user/871631 Mihály Medovarszki
  • Natalia

    This is so so cool! Love the name and the badge. Is there a new category for Christmas markets already?

  • Donna
  • Sai

    Just into the Mannheim Christmas market. Nada. Perhaps the check in needs to have relevant tags? Some Christmas markets are catagorized as event spaces, some as squares, some as markets…

    • Natalia

      I hope it’s not going to turn out you get the badge only for check-ins in a handful of “big” cities…

  • Hans-Henrik Ohlsen

    How do you get it? A shout? I can’t see any Christmas Market category available?

  • Martijn

    None for Winterpret/Plaisirs d’Hiver (http://foursquare.com/v/4ecf50690cd62a61dcf01afc) either… So what are the requirements to earn one?

    • http://aboutfoursquare.com Chris Thompson

      I imagine Foursquare has tagged a few of the most popular for this badge. There’s no special category and there’s no shout required.

    • Maupie010

      I am at that Place right now but I didn’t get the badge either. It’s a shame but I think this is only a German badge.

  • LouisCifer

    Just got it it at Tollwood in Munich without knowing.

  • https://www.foursquare.com/user/568526 Kelly Jensen

    I wish you could unlock this in the US as well! I love the idea behind this badge!

    • Shannon

      Me too…there are Christmas markets all over the DMV.

  • Mackenzie

    Lame. I was is Europe last week and went to a Christmas market and didn’t get one.

  • http://Valterfabiano.com Valter

    No US?! :(

  • https://www.foursquare.com/user/11581144 Guido Giannelli

    maybe it’s a german only badge, non european

  • http://lasrede.es Luison

    I’m glad to know in Foursquare’s HQ are still thinking in Europe!! Thanks Guys!!

  • Natalia

    If Foursquare decided to limit this badge to just a couple of locations in Berlin and Munich they could’ve just let it be.

  • http://www.chaffro.tumblr.com Chaffro

    Yeah, might be German Christmas Markets only, given the German in the unlock text. The UK does have some German Christmas markets, in some of the big cities – have been to ones in Manchester, Nottingham and Birmingham – so be interesting to see if it’s unlockable there.

  • Piotr D
  • http://twitter.com/pzumk Patrick

    The description is definitely german. I hope I get this badge at the next check in at our local Christmas market

  • Eric Stumpf

    I’m disappointed that the Chicago German Christmas Market would not qualify.

  • Rieke

    I didn’t get the badge for my checkin at a christmas market in Germany (Freiburg) today. :(

  • Alexander S.

    Checkin at Christmas Market in Dortmund (Germany) works :-)

  • me

    @Alexander S. – show you checkin ;)

  • https://www.foursquare.com/user/61391 Kevin van Dun

    Here the link of the venue Alexander S. was talking about:

    https://foursquare.com/v/weihnachtsmarkt-dortmund/4ec4d893a17ce670e7a912b1

  • https://www.foursquare.com/user/5564917 TeaBelly

    Definitely not unlocking in the UK. No badge for checking in at the Frankfurt Christmas market in Birmingham (who have been travelling from Frankfurt to Birmingham for the last 11 years). Looks like this is only unlockable in Germany.

  • https://www.foursquare.com/user/3625608 Michael Beck
  • CH

    Why is the largest German Christmas market (Frankfurt am Main) not on the list for the Oh Tannenbaum badge? http://www.weihnachtsmarkt-deutschland.de/weihnachtsmarkt-frankfurt.html

  • Nene

    I tried to unlock it in Frankfurt as well, but nothing happened! :(

  • James C

    Rubbish! How is it not available in Birmingham?

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