Gambier's Christkindlmarkt returns for thirty-fourth year

The thirty-fourth annual Gambier Crafts Sale will be held Sunday, December 14, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Kenyon College's Ernst Center. Because of the construction of the new fitness, recreation, and athletic center, parking will be in the area near the tennis courts. Both parking and admission to the event are free.

The theme of the sale has changed over the years, exploring the holiday customs of France, Italy, Scotland, Poland, and Mexico before the organizers settled on Austria, which has provided the Christkindlmarkt theme for many years now. As in Vienna, the Gambier Christkindlmarkt sparkles with strings of lights and tempts shoppers with toys, ornaments, and Christmas cakes. The crafters embellish their stalls in hopes of winning the prize for the most attractive decorations.

The holiday shopper will find an array tempting food items, including chocolates and other candies, holiday fruit cakes, decorated cookies, and festive breads. Local maple syrup and maple sugar candy will be available, along with holiday granola made with cranberries. If these goodies whet your appetite, you can go upstairs and lunch on the balcony overlooking the sale site. Hot sandwiches and homemade pies, made by the members of the service sorority, Psi Iota Xi, will give you new energy to hunt for the perfect present.

Toys for the child on your list, or the child in your heart, will abound. You can choose from wooden trucks, dancing folk puppets, kaleidoscopes, jointed teddy bears fashioned of mohair, quaint dolls dressed as elves or story-book characters, and an heirloom wonder-work such as a Noah's Ark fashioned by local artist Kevin Frazee. Even toys for the cat will be offered.

The sale will include one-of-a-kind hand-wrought items such as bowls, purses, and papier-maché boxes. Other accessories include bags woven of sisal, quilted tote-bags, and jewelry fashioned of jade, lapis, sterling, freshwater pearls, or seashells. Knitters have created hats, mittens, scarves, and wool socks, while weavers are offering shawls and rag rugs. There will be numerous offerings of quilts and quilted wall hangings, hand-blown glass objects, and many items crafted of wood. William Schmidt and Diana Andra, among the earliest contributors to the sale, will bring wooden items that include bowls, calligraphy sets, and unusual baby rattles.

Handcrafted wind-chimes and "wind-harps" will be sold along with John Hollingsworth's masterfully made dulcimers. And, when shopping has left the gift-seeker weary, lavender-filled eye shades will ensure a much deserved rest. Thanks for organizing this much-anticipated annual event go to Joyce Klein and Elizabeth and Kirk Emmert.