‘People are definitely in the Christmas mood:’ Maritime retailers, shoppers gear up for holiday season

With less than six weeks to go before Christmas, Maritimers are starting to feel the holiday spirit.

From holiday markets to twinkling displays, Maritimers are eager to get in on the magic of the Christmas season.

Though Christmas is still weeks away, some holiday events are already happening around the region.

The 51st annual Dartmouth Handcrafters Guild Show kicked off Friday at the Zatzman Sportsplex, featuring a wide range of handmade products.

“You’ll find everything from woodwork to food to candles, soap, jewelry, fabric…all sorts of good things and all unique,” says Bev Doman, president of the Guild. “Most of it is local from Nova Scotia, but we do have some from other provinces,”

Doman says they expect eight thousand people to be in attendance this year, with more than 150 vendors featured at the event.

“Especially because Black Friday is just coming up upon us, people are thinking about Christmas,” she says. “We have wonderful stocking stuffers. We have unique gifts for under the tree. We have wonderful gifts that you can mail away.”

“Every year we give up a percentage of our net profits to local community charities.”

Jill Babcock, owner of The Artful Cut Engraved Glass, says she’s excited to return to the event as a vendor.

“I love it…you get to know a lot of the vendors that you are near. It’s local. I’m a Dartmouth girl, so I love being in Dartmouth for sure,” she says.

“People are definitely in the Christmas mood.”

For some Nova Scotians, the holidays start when Woody the Talking Christmas Tree makes his annual appearance at Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth.

Woody will “wake up” on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

“He’s just nostalgic,” says shopper Judy Bowan. “I used to bring my children here when they were young. Now they’re all taller than me. I love to see the children come and enjoy it.”

Like many people, Bowan says she has already started her Christmas shopping. She says it’s a special part of the holiday season.

“After Remembrance Day that’s when I usually start to get the urge to get started because I like to take my time. The atmosphere with everybody – it is uplifting.”

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