As the holiday season approaches, shoppers have loads of places to find gifts or decorations for their homes. More and more consumers look to the Internet for ideas, and make their purchases with a few clicks on the computer. Days later their parcel arrives at their door.
Those looking for a more local, traditional, hands-on shopping have many options right here in St. Albert, including the Indoor Christmas Market.
For the eighth year, starting Nov. 26 and running for four consecutive Saturdays before Christmas, the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Indoor Christmas Market in St. Albert Place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Agatha Grochowski, market manager for both the popular summer outdoor market and the more modest, seasonal, indoor emporium, says the Christmas market is a source of locally produced Christmas décor and seasonal treats.
“For Christmas, you can give a gift to your community and your family because you’re buying local,” she says.
Among the 76 vendors at this year’s market, some will be selling Christmas-themed crafts, such as ornaments. Others will be bringing seasonal baked goods. Two vendors will be selling meat and vegetables outside the indoor venue.
“We have a lot of people who do Christmas baking. People do trays with Christmas cakes and Christmas cookies you can take home,” Grochowski says.
The market will also feature Christmas decorative crafts.
“We have some people who do Santa dolls. There’s home dĂ©cor that’s ready for the holidays,” Growchoski says.
“People will be selling Christmas quilts, runners, and we’ll be getting lots of people selling Christmas cards.
“This market is sizable enough that you can buy ingredients for your Christmas meals and presents.”
At both the outdoor and the indoor markets, visitors are encouraged to bring items for the St. Albert Food Bank.
The Art Gallery of St. Albert is also striking a seasonal tone. The gallery, run by the City of St. Albert, will feature seasonal artifacts in its gift shop. The gallery also rents art people may wish to display while they entertain friends and family.
“We have a few artists who work with winter landscapes, so we like to put those up as a reminder to people looking to rent seasonal art work for their home,” says Pam Gendron, the gallery’s rental and sales associate.
Gendron says a few of the local artists featured at the gallery also bring in handmade Christmas ornaments for sale in the shop.
Barbara Mitchell makes decorative glass orbs, as well as running workshops for folks interested in making their own decorations.
“I not only make glass ornaments and paint them myself, but I also give classes so people can enjoy that too and give them as gifts,” Mitchell says.
“Ninety percent of the people have never done anything, and they come away fully satisfied because I take them through every single step, and they go home with some really lovely work. They’re always astonished that they did, but anybody can do it.”
She also does tile art at Christmas, which people give away as gifts. They hang the decorative tiles on their wall or they may set them on an easel, she says.
Folks interested in the workshops can get a brochure at the gallery.
The gallery runs art classes all year round, but at this time of year, children eight to 12 can learn to make their own wrapping paper on Dec. 3 between 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The gallery is adding one additional late-closing date to its normal schedule. Besides its normal schedule — Tuesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. — the gallery will be open till 8 p.m. on Dec. 16.
