Xmas Market Place and Keen Shoe Sale
The enticing fragrance of freshly-cut cedar boughs in the narthex of St. David’s, Tsawwassen, November 23, will be the fair-goers’ first hint that something Christmassy is about to unfold. It’s the day the parish welcomes the community to its European-style Christkindlemarkt and Keen Footwear Sample Sale.
The second of Keen Footwear semi-annual sales at St. David’s, this year-end offering of winter lines will again be part of the Boots, Books and Baking theme of previous parish Christmas Fairs.
Add Kartoffelsalat (German warm potato salad) and Bratwurst sausage at lunch in St. David’s Café, and visualize a centuries-old Christkindlemarkt in another time and place.
The setting would not be complete without the early appearance of Sankt Nikolaus – in his legendary dress as a bishop-figure of the saint with flowing beard, mitre and staff. In his role as St. Nikolaus, parishioner John Hedgecock will bring attention to the European tradition of present-giving on the saint’s feast day December 6, keeping December 25 as a religious event.
And there is much more. At the home-baking table all manner of kitchen edibles, including a selection of frozen fruit pies, will attract the shopper intent on taking home ready-made baked goods or a jar of preserves. Jams, jellies, pickles and relish causes one to marvel at so much summer goodness captured within glass.
Other stalls encircling the parish hall will display the work of parishioners who have knitted and stitched, baked and bottled, cut and pasted, refurbished jewellery and polished ‘treasures’. In addition, a separate room will be piled high with gently-used books for readers to rootle through in search of favourite authors, children’s titles, or pictorial coffee-table books of assorted subjects.
The parish kitchen, renamed St. David’s Café for the day, will be open for morning coffee, tea and German stollen, snacks and lunch. Christmas Fair hours are 10am to 2pm in the cul-de-sac at 1115 - 51A Street.
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Parishioner John Hedgecock will add historic Sankt Nikolaus to St. David’s Christkindlemarkt, November 23.