Anton showman family: at the Beckum Christmas market for over 40 years

The children's carousel has been hugely popular with the little ones for many years and has become an integral part of the Christmas market. "Parents now come to us who rode the carousel themselves when they were children," says Peter Anton Senior.

There from the start

Angelika Anton and Peter Anton Senior have been involved in the Beckum Christmas market from the very beginning: an employee of Beckum's city marketing department noticed them at the All Saints' Market in Soest and asked them to join the new Beckum Christmas market. Since 1980, the Antons have been running a confectionery stall here with roasted almonds, gingerbread hearts and all kinds of classic Christmas treats. In 1990, the children's carousel also came to Beckum, and since 2006 the family has also been running a crêpe stand.

The Anton family is loyal to Beckum and not without reason: "Business is good year after year. The people in Beckum are very friendly and the cooperation with the town and the building yard has also proved its worth," says Peter Anton Senior. They are now also acquainted with other long-standing stall holders, which creates a family atmosphere at the Christmas market. There was only one year when the Antons were not in Beckum: in the coronavirus year 2020, when the Christmas market had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Succession clarified

The Beckum showman family will remain in the future, as the succession for the next generation has already been decided: Peter Anton Junior and his son Lennox Anton have been with the company for as long as they can remember and want to stay there. Many other showmen can only dream of this at the moment.

The Antons are hoping for good weather this year. Because as romantic as it may seem, harsh winter weather is poison for the Christmas market, according to Peter Anton Junior: "When it's snowy and cold, far fewer people venture outside. In some years, we've had to keep removing snow from the carousel roof because the load was too great. Once we even froze the eggs on the crêpe stand."

Known from the Münsterland to the Sauerland

After the Christmas market in Beckum, the confectionery stall moves on to the Christmas market in Neubeckum every year. For the rest of the year, the Anton family can be found at the Soest All Saints' Market, shooting festivals and fairs from Münsterland to Sauerland. Over the years, they have built up a loyal clientele throughout the region - after so long, they know each other.

More information about the Beckum Christmas markets