Stepping into Bashaw’s annual pop-up Christmas market at the Meeting Place Coffee Roasters is like walking right into Santa’s workshop.
With a variety of hand-made goods, crafts, ornaments and artwork, the Humbug Bazaar is your one-stop-shop for all things Christmas, whether you’re looking to deck your halls or hunting for that perfect stocking stuffer.
The market is now open as of Nov. 25. It will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Dec. 17.
With about 20 vendors and a couple more trickling in, organizer Moira Gates says they’re full up this year.
The layout has changed up a bit this year, and they also aimed to bring in as many new items as possible, said Gates.
There’s everything from gnomes, decorative Christmas plates, and crocheted, starched bowls with winter wonderland scenes inside, to pottery, wire-wrapped jewellery, paintings, quilts, table runners and a variety of items made from recycled materials.
You can find mittens made from old sweaters and reusable makeup removers in washable bags.
Wanting something a bit different? There’s also a variety of wreaths made from locally-grown broomcorn.
“It’s just different stuff this year,” said Gates, adding that nothing is store-bought, unless it was incorporated into a craft or project.
If you’re looking for more practical items, you can also find handmade soap, felt drier balls, or vinyl-lined waste bags for your car.
Indulge your neighbourhood birds to a homemade bird seed treat.
There are also a number of items for kids, such as sock monkeys and pocket kitties.
The price range for most items range from a couple of dollars to under $50, except for some of the higher-end items, such as quilts and paintings.
The organizers of the market don’t make a profit. Rather, the commission from the sales of items goes towards the rent of the space and other costs.
All remaining proceeds will be donated to a local community group, to be determined.
Donations for the Bashaw Food Bank are being collected at the door.
(Facebook photo/Humbug Bazaar)
