I’ve been to a few local Holiday fairs and will go to another one next Friday, but I skipped the big county one yesterday. It’s been so repetitive the past couple years and I don’t really “need” anything and sadly last year was quite disappointing with a lot of repetitive vendors and many with not so hand crafted items. 🙁
Most of my shopping this year has revolved around shopping for my Eagles group who has again adopted some local foster kids. I’m chairwoman this year and I’m afraid a few of the ladies are probably not as happy with me because I told the coordinator we would help with the teenagers. The teenagers hold a special place in my heart because they are the most forgotten in programs like these. I am also making them each stockings to add in some fun items that aren’t on their needs lists. I’m also including things like toothbrushes and hand lotions.
CNN.com has a great article about the 17 BEST Christmas Markets around the world.
If only I could travel to them all, but that just isn’t in the cards for me so I watch them be featured in Hallmark Christmas movies and dream. I would LOVE to travel to those markets and fairs that have all of the town interactive, but the closest I come to that here is running into everyone I know at the local ones as well as the parade that is coming up on the 21st.
I do try and participate, as well as shop at the markets and fairs locally around me. And by around me I mean within 100 miles or so for the most part.
A girlfriend and I traveled 225 miles last year for the best one we had been to in awhile. It was held at a large Fairgrounds and was in 3 separate buildings with vendor trailers peppered in between the buildings. We were fortunate that day that it was also beautiful weather. It was so fruitful that we made a couple trips back to the car to unload ourselves of bags. We tried it again this year, but it just wasn’t the same. Unfortunately, it had become so much like our local one.
I certainly do my part to shop local and not have everything delivered by Amazon or buy from discount stores. Unfortunately, many of the things I was hoping to purchase as gifts just weren’t available this year from the same vendors or the vendors I was hoping for have closed up shop.