A Celebrated Event!

Christmas is a wonderful time to see and experience Shipshewana …

For the Trading Place, our season begins with our Evening at the Gallery Open House, 6-8 pm the second Friday of November, at the Antique Gallery.

This event usually draws a big crowd and last Friday was no exception.

By 5:20pm the Gallery parking lot was already half full!

When I walked into the Gallery at 5:50pm, I greeted by a sea of people filling the aisles.

I made my way through the crowd, taking note of every little detail of this celebrated event from the pleasant smells of freshly made buttered popcorn and ham sandwiches to the soothing sounds of the Dulcimer group playing on the second floor that drifted downstairs. And as I browsed the aisles, it was quite an effort to keep my hands in my coat pockets and not on the tempting samples of food offered by many vendors: candy, cookies, fudge, brownies, cheese & crackers… and even barbecue meatballs!

There was much to see and touch (and eat, of course) while searching for wonderful gifts for the equally wonderful people on our shopping lists!

From the classic gifts …

… to the ones bringing out our inner child….

 

So many shoppers were smiling and visiting with each other that it felt like a gathering of good friends celebrating the approaching Christmas season and the discounts on the many fine antiques displayed.

When I left at 6:10pm, the parking lot was full and people were parking in the grass. Judging by the crowd, it seemed to me that the Evening at the Gallery is part of the Shipshewana Christmas tradition for many!