Holiday bazaars! That's how they advertise them, but don't kid yourself. These are Christmas bazaars. The predominating colors? Red and green. Who do you see on every other table? Santa Claus. What kind of music is playing? Christmas carols. I rest my case. Starting the first weekend in November and ending the first or second weekend in December, Christmas bazaars spring up all over the countryside.
If you're like me and you want to get to as many as possible, it takes a little planning. Newspapers advertise better than any on-line site I've found (sorry Patch). I mark the date with the sales I want to attend and paper clip the newspaper ads to the festive Thanksgiving picture on my calendar so I don't forget the day and place. Time is no problem, they all seem to be open from 9-3. But that in itself is a problem. Trying to make it to four bazaars during those hours takes some special attention; you must plan your driving route so you hit the sales in a natural order. Time is wasted if you have to backtrack. Keep notes if you hit a bazaar that's a real bust; you might not want to waste time there next year.
You can find anything you want for the holidays at these bazaars. And even some stuff you didn't know you wanted. Take my friend Laurie, for example. I'm sure she had no intention today of buying two handmade doggy pizzas for her beloved pups. But she bought them and an assortment of doggy bone treats. Because some of these shows can be overwhelming, I suggest you walk the perimeter first and get an idea of the crafts for sale. If you aren't careful, you might buy that Ravens scarf for $20 and find the same thing two booths down for $5. However, if something truly unique and reasonably priced calls your name, you best grab it up before it calls somebody else who answers. Occasionally, I look at some of the items for sale and think, gee I could do that. But as a vendor explained, "We do it for you, so you don't have to." Sounds reasonable to me.
There are a few things that make me sad when I go to these bazaars. The crocheted items get to me. Those tables never seem to change. The soft mounds of crafts are the same size from the beginning of the show to the end of the show. People like to crochet. But people don't seem to buy crocheted items. A lot of crocheted items are aimed at covering toilet paper: little cap like things, toilet paper Santas, toilet paper snowmen, you get the picture. When's the last time you actually saw a crocheted toilet paper cover in a bathroom? Been a while, hasn't it? Now, I did recently see the little cap-like covers as favors at a church Christmas party. Sorry to say, we church people weren't very kind. We pulled the toilet paper rolls out of the holders, and wore them on our heads like Rastafarian caps. The woman who made them was NOT amused.
I feel uncomfortable making eye contact with the vendors. They all have that same look in their eyes as they silently beg you to please, please buy their crafts. They pay a lot of money to rent the tables, and sometimes they need a lot of sales to break even. Oh, and if you enter into conversation with a vendor, it gets even dicier for the buyer. Do you now have to actually buy the thing you've just told the crafter is really beautiful? This year as I looked at some jewelry, the vendor said to me, "I remember you from last year! It's so nice to see you. What can I do for you this year?" Ohhh, she's good. I don't remember her from last year, and I'm sure she doesn't remember me, but now I am a repeat customer and expected to buy.
Christmas bazaars are great places to buy gifts for friends and family. Or yourself, for that matter. But be careful to really want what you buy. It's a little hard to return something to a vendor who has packed up and gone home. Ask me. I know that for a fact. I simply fell in love with a purple necklace, so I had to have it. Upon returning home, I nestled it into my felt-lined jewelry box, right next to the nearly identical purple necklace I bought last year. Buyer beware!
Enjoy the season! Happy shopping! Happy holidays!
We go to the Frederick holiday craft fair the Saturday after Thanksgiving every year. And I too have gotten the I remember you from last year line. One lady was selling handmade knitted items from alpaca threads. She started talking me up and like most people I did not want to buy knitted orocheted items. I told her I was going to Peru in a couple of months and would see some alpaca there. She got really excited with this imformation and was sure I was going to purchase something. I really did not mean to lead her on but I guess I did. I finally said I could not wait to eat alpaca at a restaurant there. She got physically upset and asked me to leave her stall. It seems she raised her own alpaca for her knitting threads and thinks of them as pets. Mark and his mother saw us talking and then saw her facial reactions. Mark's first question to me was "What did you do now!" I think this year I may just buy a crocheted toilet paper cover and use it just for you Barb.
ReplyDeleteLOL You really told her you were going to eat alpaca???? Too funny!
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