Christmas at the Market

Well folks, here we are in the final countdown to Christmas in one of the busiest weeks of the year! Still got shopping, cooking, and decorating to do? Take a hint from this variation of a line from the Bobby McFerrin song – "Don’t worry, be merry!" Visit your local farmers market on Saturday where you can enjoy an unhurried and convivial atmosphere worlds away from the hectic malls stuffed with last minute shoppers. At the Marché Moncton Market enjoy a delicious breakfast from Glengarry Foods, have a steaming cup of coffee from Perfecto Coffee and meet up with friends for an experience that will truly revive that seasonal fun and camaraderie so reflective of the true spirit of Christmas.

Our area farmers markets are filled with items produced with loving care, attention to detail and unique qualities often not found in the world of the mass produced. This Christmas, discover one of a kind items in foods, wines, gifts, jewellery, and decor for yourself or for family and friends. Here is a mini tour of some of the wonderful vendors at the Marché Moncton Market with wares ready to fill your Christmas wish and gift lists. Choose from already cooked delicacies perfect for your buffet or party table in a fine selection of piquant pekoras and samosas from Sashi Varma as well as other Eastern delights from Fahda’s Foods, Nadia’s Egyptian Kitchen and Lebanese Delights. Sample true Mediterranean cuisine with humus from Al-Bassa. Pick up fresh sushi, spring rolls, and noodles from Sam’s Sensations, and pot-stickers and fried wantons from Wok n’ Rolls. Tony’s Pastries has terrific truffles, tarts, squares, and cheesecakes that are 5-star quality created by master chef Tony himself, and Dream Cheesecakes offer bite-sized mini cheesecakes which can be ordered by the dozen as a great hostess gift or pot-luck dessert. Love baked goods but hate to do your own baking? Le Croissant Soleil, Essers European Style Bakery, Emily’s Bakery, Sandee’s preserves and baked goods, Wright’s Country Bakery and Nick The Dutch Baker have great cakes, breads, squares, tarts, and many specialty items perfect for your own kitchen or great as gifts for others.

In the market for quality dairy items and meats? Millinea Farms has grade one eggs, and Codiac Cheese has a huge variety of quality cheeses. Charles Cormier Meats, Ferme Chemin Des Prairies Farm, Springbrook Meats, and Hills A Plenty Farm have selections of fresh, organic, grain fed and free range cuts of meat. Stephen Taylor Farms has a large selection of choice cuts and eggs as well as free range turkeys perfect for your holiday table! Fresh fruit and crisp vegetables can be found at An Apple a Day, All One Farms, La Fleur du Pomier, and fine wines from Magnetic Hill Winery and Winegarden Estates Ltd., which both specialize in delicious area fruit wines, offer a perfect way to finish off any meal.

If you’re looking for last minute gift ideas, the market has a wide array of gift wares including wonderful folk art by Paul McFadden and his mother, Beatrice. There are lovely tooled leather items in purses, wallets, belts, name tags, and wristlets from C & J Leathercraft and from leather artist Joe Ferron. Check out D&J’s Glass Studio’s excellent stained glass for a great gift. Kelly Powers creates wonderful beaded jewellery, seasonally decorative snowmen and Christmas wreaths. Amber Dawn Ritchie’s Sterling silver, semi-precious jewellery is unique and distinctive, and Nancy Dixon designs shell, bead, and stone jewellery that is truly delightful. In the market for health and beauty products? Kelli Young’s handmade soaps from The Soap Shack are terrific and are great as gifts. Watkins Products and Sari Weinberg’s Wild Roots offer healing and soothing balms, luxurious bath products and a calming selection of fine herbal teas just great for filling a gift basket. Don’t forget to toss in a bag of nuts from Larry’s Peanuts or quality teas and gifts from China brought to you by Yang Xue and Winni Wang. Add in some maple products from Trites Family Sugar Bush and Pancake House. How about a warm, fuzzy fleece jacket or vest? Marsha Mackay has a great selection of handmade outerwear.

For the outdoors man or woman, Casual Garden Accents has great wrought iron planters, accents, and decorative features for both the indoor garden or your outdoor landscape, and Dwayne Biggar of The Bird Garden has a host of bird feeders and bird houses for those fine feathered companions in the garden! How about a bat house? Reg Beal’s bat houses are definitely a gift for the person who has everything! Outdoor Christmas wreaths in fir accented by a huge red velvet bow are the creations of Noella Cormier who also has dried and gilded maple leaf wreaths with straw bows that are lovely and imaginative and can add a rustic look to your seasonal decor. A large part of the season’s decorations include candles and the Blue Flag Creations of Kurt and Kathrina Zeltner offer 100% beeswax, long burning votives, pillars, and floaters as well as wax ornaments perfect for the tree or as a wall accent. And they’re great as gifts too! Got your Christmas Spider? The creation of Laurie Lorette and Suzanne LeBlanc, these beaded creatures have a folk tale all to their own and they’re beautiful and whimsical too. Look for their beaded ornaments and jewellery as well. They’re beautiful and magical with a wonderful Victorian flair. Vonni Mann’s birchbark angels borrow their charm from nature and they can do double duty as both a tree topper or as a festive wine bottle cover. This is a gift that will definitely "wow" any recipient.

These are just a few of the many fine offerings at the market this Christmas, and it’s well worth a visit to appreciate the wide range of goods available to market patrons. Drop by on the last Saturday before Christmas and revel in the delights of a true community meeting place. From everyone at the market to you – warm wishes for a peaceful Christmas season!