A quiet little mouse scampering about the nooks and crannies of
Gilroy at all hours of the day and night gets to see more than just
the usual everyday happenings. If you could go on a mouse
ride-along, you would see the hours people spend laboring behind
the scenes, like the work that is going into creating the wondrous
Christmas Bazaar that will be held Saturday at the corner of 4th
and Church streets.
A quiet little mouse scampering about the nooks and crannies of Gilroy at all hours of the day and night gets to see more than just the usual everyday happenings. If you could go on a mouse ride-along, you would see the hours people spend laboring behind the scenes, like the work that is going into creating the wondrous Christmas Bazaar that will be held Saturday at the corner of 4th and Church streets.
There are a number of craft sales and holiday bazaars around Gilroy at this time of year, but what makes this one special is that it is historically the longest continuously running one in our fair city. For 70 years, the hands of Methodist women have quilted, sewn, embroidered, decorated, cooked, baked, canned, pickled, performed, potted, mixed, fudged, bottled, conserved, preserved, painted, macraméd, knitted, glued, and crocheted.
Men contribute their talents as well. The birdhouses made by Richard Freitas have been a welcome addition the last couple of years. One Gilroyan took several home and painted each one a different color to go with the different color themes of the flowers in her garden.
One of the most popular parts of the Bazaar is the soup and pie luncheon. The homemade chowder, white bean, vegetable beef, split pea, and Mexican meatball soups are local favorites. Young ladies from the community (junior high and high school) waitress (often their first experience) at the luncheon and get to keep the tips they receive. Past waitresses have included Gilroy High Chamber Singers Cambri Love and Victoria Arribere. A Mount Madonna senior, Kristina Pena, was last year’s coffee hostess.
Virginia Bendel (a Wheeler Manor retiree) is Café Hostess. Seemingly much younger than her 80-something years, she chats and entertains those waiting in line by playing her musical Gingerbread Boy. This year she is donating miniature Christmas trees in care packages for the troops in Iraq.
“I even made sure they have a real pine scent,” she tells me with delight.
Former Gilroyan Mary Magnuson still sends beautiful handmade seashell ornaments from Florida to be sold at the Bazaar, and former Gilroyan Mary Ernest spent $18.37 in postage to send her box of goodies from Poplar, Mo.
The Bazaar Czar and Czarina are Barbara and Hugh Gailey who do a fantastic job of organizing and directing all aspects of the event. A mysterious angel named Joe Charles is the handyman who cleans up after the festivities.
It takes the cooperation of both young and old behind the scenes to make this holiday dream come true, but it just goes to show what is possible when so many different people bring their talents together.
‘Twas the night before the Bazaar and all through the church, not a creature was stirring – except one Christmas mouse on a sugar plum search.
The Bazaar will be held Saturday, Nov. 20 at the United Methodist Church located at Fourth and Church St. from 8:30am until the goodies run out. Lunch is from 11:30am to 2pm.
