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First Baptist Church Christmas bazaar to be held early this year
Christmas Gail Nolen, chairman of this year's Sylva First Baptist Church Christmas bazaar, gets a handle on many of the holiday creations to be offered for sale Nov. 21-23. - Herald photo by Rose Hooper For their eighth annual Christmas bazaar, the folks at First Baptist Church of Sylva are borrowing a line from commercial advertisers, "Shop early."

Since Thanksgiving comes so late this year, church members have scheduled the event for the week before Thanksgiving rather than the week after.

The bazaar will be held Nov. 21-23 in the church fellowship hall from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 8 a.m. until noon Saturday.

"Just because it is about 10 day earlier than usual, don't think we aren't prepared," said Gail Nolen, this year's chairman.

Workers, who begin with after-Christmas sales to purchase materials for next year's projects, actually surprised themselves with the new items they create, Nolen said. Fire screens are one of these new items, and shoppers can choose from four Santas or snowmen about 2-feet high, hinged to allow for various configurations. The screens would also be perfect to define the area around the Christmas tree or to corral the presents in place of a tree, she said.

Another creative items in an artsy broom, which is a plan, old broom with a design sketched on the straw post, a decorated handle and an ornament fastened to the top.

"None of the decorations prevents the broom from being used to sweep up litter after all the presents have been opened," said Nolen.

And, 'Yes, Virginia, there is a Pat McMillan angel again this year,' she said. "First we wonder if Pat will have the courage to start a new one, knowing the enormous amount of time it entails, and then we wonder what this one will be like, because no two creations are the same," said Nolen.

As usual, the bazaar will include Christmas candles and candelabra, post creatures, Santa Clauses and Mrs. Clauses, snowmen and Christmas trees in every possible size for every possible purpose.

For the holiday table there will be runners, place mats, napkins and napkin rings. There will be live trees and artificial trees, tree skirts and the greatest variety of ornaments the bazaar has ever offered. Choose a wreath for a gift or to decorate your home or office. Hand-made stockings and hand-painted containers can be filled with a variety of items.

Food is always popular with the shoppers, Nolen noted. Advance orders for cakes or bread are being taken now. Some of the best church cooks will have their pickles, jams and casseroles for sale. Charlie McConnell has been making chili, which he will have in frozen containers for shoppers to pop into the microwave for an easy supper. McConnell has added so many spices he said the chili doesn't have to be defrosted because it's so hot it melts itself.

"You don't even have to save the goodies for Christmas; you can go ahead and have them for Thanksgiving since it will be the following week," Nolen said.

Back to Archive: 11/14/02.