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 this week, you would see the hours people spend laboring behind the scenes, such as the work going into creating the wondrous Christmas Bazaar that will be held Saturday at the corner of Fourth and Church streets.
There are a number of craft sales and holiday bazaars around Gilroy 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 81 years, the hands of Methodist women have quilted, sewn, embroidered, decorated, cooked, baked, canned, pickled, performed, potted, mixed, fudged, bottled, conserved, preserved, painted, knitted, glued and crocheted.
To give a bit of perspective, the year this very bazaar began was the worst year of the Depression; Hitler had just come to power as Chancellor of Germany and opened the first concentration camp; the average rent for a house in the United States was $18 per month; a can of Campbell’s vegetable soup or a gallon of gas was 10 cents; Einstein had just become a professor at Princeton; the Midwest drought that caused the Dust Bowl was in full swing; and Prohibition was being repealed.
Running every year since then, this bazaar has become a local institution. Sue Hice, new coordinator for 2014, along with her co-facilitators Claudia Salewske and Pat Freitas, said Holiday Bazaar 2014 will take place Nov. 22 and will feature an array of homemade jams, jellies, baked goods, handcrafted items, ornaments, artistic needlework, culinary delights and whimsical crafts. A tasty lunch will be served in the Fireside Room, including soup, bread, pie and a beverage for a bargain of $6 even (no tax). This popular sidelight of the day offers a cozy venue to gather with friends and renew old acquaintances as you enjoy someone else’s cooking.
There will be slightly less homemade jam this year due to the grief caused to our fruit trees by the drought we’ve been suffering, so Claudia Salewske and Jan Kubik recommend arriving in the morning if you want to be sure to get some of this popular item.
The men at this event are crafty as well. Mike Salewske’s hand-crafted seam rippers were such a hit last year that he has been busily crafting away to provide more for this year. Mike also makes beautiful pen sets that are a popular gift item.
There will be many raffle items available, with the grand prize being a beautiful handmade quilt, thanks to help from the Nimble Thimble downtown and the talents of Marj Burchell, Barbara Heno and Edith Edde. A kids’ corner is planned for crafts while their parents shop. Handmade clothing, finger puppets and jewelry from Peru will be featured, thanks to local Peruvian Julia Brodersen.
As the longest continuously running bazaar held in Gilroy, the 81st guest will receive a prize. It’s a day when the community pulls together to create a day filled with fun, laughter, good food and enjoyable visits. Perhaps best of all, much of the proceeds go to help women and children in poverty.
When: Saturday, Nov. 22
Where: Gilroy United Methodist Church, corner of Fourth and Church streets
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Homemade soup lunch served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Proceeds help benefit women and children in need, including those escaping from human trafficking and child labor.
Details: (408) 842-4021
