xmasbaztreeLocal vendors returned to New Carlisle this weekend for the holiday version of the city’s farmer’s market, usually held each Saturday along Main Street in the summertime.

The market’s Christmas Bazaar was held at Honey Creek Presbyterian Church this past Saturday, bringing together nearly 20 local sellers offering a varying selection of unique Christmas items, including food, crafts, jewelry, clothing, and more, which provided shoppers the opportunity to cross off their Christmas lists while purchasing hand-crafted items from their friends and neighbors.

Many of the winter market’s 16 vendors were regular fixtures with their booths along Main Street this summer, who opted to return for the winter market as a way of continuing their community involvement as well as taking advantage of the opportunity to make some extra cash for the big day, which is now just over a week away.

Chris Leapley, who serves as Chairman of the Farmer’s Market Committee, also set up a booth at the market for his family-owned business, Blue House Farms, which specializes in everything relating to Alpacas. At Blue House farms, their Alpacas are shorn once per year in the springtime, and their fleece can be developed into many products, including clothing, blankets, and yarn. Alpaca fleece is known to be warmer than wool, making it an excellent choice for winter clothing, and it is also waterproof, hypoallergenic, and often softer than cashmere.

Leapley said that all of the vendors, including himself, did rather well at the bazaar, especially during its first hour being open, as shoppers packed Honey Creek’s basement in search of unique, locally-made Christmas gifts. He considered the venture a success and said the winter market would definitely be something the committee would consider hosting again next year.

Michael Maxwell of Arrowhead Tax Service set up a booth offering his family’s homemade sweet treats like fudge and popcorn, saying that he had done a small amount of business at the winter market. Helen Wilcox-Werling of Creating Treasures Studio also set up shop at the winter market, selling her handmade textile items such as table runners, towels, wallets, purses, and kitchen accessories. Wilcox-Werling said she had been a regular each week during the summertime markets, adding that she wanted to return for the holiday bazaar.

The market quickly sold out of hot chicken and noodles generously donated by Lee’s Famous Recipe, and several shoppers stopped for a picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as a photo in front of the church’s Christmas tree fashioned from poinsettias. Reverend Shelley Wiley of Honey Creek Presbyterian said the church constructs the poinsettia tree in its sanctuary each Christmas.
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