Christmas at the Market

Christmas might be over a month away, but a look inside the Fredericton Christmas Market shows many people are already getting ready for the holiday.

Crowds lined the walkways inside the building as customers browsed gift ideas like local artwork, knitted stockings for the fireplace, bath bombs, and even painted wooden toys.

As per usual for the weekly market, there were many vendors inside also selling food and sweets for customers to eat while they shop.

For Angela White, shopping local is what brought her to downtown Fredericton.

“We always make a point of coming here for the Christmas market,” White said. “Just the homemade – everything’s local. It’s nice that way.”

Homemade is right. Some vendors were even crafting new products while customers walked around. One vendor was knitting mittens while she sat with her booth.

With the Christmas music playing and the laid-back atmosphere as people shop, you’d never know there’s a snow storm outside.

The city transit busses are still running, but traffic on the roads is slowed as drivers carefully make their way through the blustery weather.

But the weather didn’t stop Louise Melanson from selling today.

She’s been a vendor for six or seven years with her business, “Scraps,” and something special Melanson sells are hand-painted eggshells. She’s been making them for 38 years.

To make those eggshells, she starts by poking a needle in the top and front of an egg. After draining the egg, she cuts out the front of the egg with tiny scissors and fills the inside with hot wax to harden it. Once the egg has hardened, she gets out the paint and decorates it.

Melanson said she “never knew she was an artist” until she tried painting eggshells many years ago.

She also said that while the weather might not be favourable, she wouldn’t be anywhere else.

“Yesterday was quite busy,” said Melanson. “Today the weather might hold a few back, but it’s still a really fun place to be. We’ve become a little family, this circle of people.”

Although the crowds aren’t what they were yesterday at the Christmas Market, the inside is still blooming with activity as people prefer to shop local this year for their Christmas presents.

The doors will be open until 9 p.m. tonight for people to do their Christmas shopping.