Crafts for Yule Ninja Shoppers
Give it a couple of weeks. Before the house quits smelling like Butterballs, millions of people who normally dream of dipping Care Bears in an acid bath are going to turn into Christmas ninjas.
They’re easy to spot. They’re the ones with the immense NOEL! neckties cinched up around their collars. They’re the ones with the mistletoe in their hat brims. They’re the ones with the monthlong red-and-green wardrobe. They’re the ones who whistle “White Christmas” and think they hear sleigh bells when the Santa Anas come howling in and turn everybody’s lips to beef jerky.
And their houses start to look like Santa came down the chimney at Thanksgiving and left everything.
Ever wonder what’s in all those public storage facilities? It’s Christmas junk. Because there is no way the average Yuletide fanatic can keep all his holiday stuff at home in the garage rafters. You have to realize that people’s thirst for these items is absolutely insatiable and that each year they crisscross the landscape in a high-pitched consumer frenzy with the single thought of redoubling their holiday decoration inventory.
And, without fail, they do it. Their stockpile of holiday esoterica balloons each year to the point of near-saturation, but they always manage to find room for more. Their living rooms look like a Hans Christian Andersen hallucination--which, for one month out of 12, is actually a lot of fun.
The trick, if you’re going to be a Christmas ninja, is to accumulate decent stuff. This means at least two things: Each item should be unique (or at least scarce) and it should be well-made and durable (the better to withstand manhandling by generations of children who want to help with the decorating). This also means, for the most part, that you’ll want to cultivate sources of acquisition other than the local drug or convenience store.
Fortunately, retailers, entrepreneurs and others have noticed this December penchant for gaudiness, and the phenomenon of the holiday boutique has gained what appears to be a permanent foothold in our society. You’ve probably seen them already, materializing in the local shopping center in what used to be, say, the Left-Handed Shop.
But they’ve also become popular among those who might be called amateur retailers who set up shop once a year as not only a showcase for local crafts people and artisans, but also as a vehicle for charity fund-raising.
A good bet this year for variety and decent prices probably will be the one-day Laguna Village Holiday Boutique, going on today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the neighborhood clubhouse at 23300 Santa Vittoria Drive in Laguna Hills (for information, call (714) 770-7234). It is run by the social club of Laguna Village and is expected to feature more than 100 booths operated by local craftspeople, artists and seasonal retailers.
The hook on this one is twofold: The merchandise, said Laguna Village Owners Assn. President Robin Saunders, beats the prices of many traditional retailers, and a portion of the proceeds will go to various homeless shelters and homeless outreach programs in Orange County.
This boutique, like other similar ventures throughout the Southland, is one of a handful of stops along a kind of seasonal route for Southern California craftspeople and artisans, said Saunders.
“Most crafters,” she said, “go from boutique to boutique, and this is the start of the crafts season. I think there has been a real resurgence of interest in crafts for the home, because people more and more would rather have something unique and creative than something they see in a store that might be mass-produced.”
And, she said, some items may come in at as much as 50% less than the price tag of a similar item in a year-round retail store. For instance, said Saunders, perennial favorites are decorative baskets filled with artificial flower or fruit arrangements, set off with bows and, possibly, Christmas figurines. At last year’s boutique, she said, most went for around $65, a substantial savings over retail.
At Laguna Village, as at other seasonal boutiques visited by Southland crafters, the quality of the merchandise is high. Most items are individually handmade and have the substantial look and feel of purchases that will probably last through many holiday seasons.
A few of the things you might see: stuffed Santa figures, large wooden animal decorations, various wreaths, decorative Christmas tree skirts, baskets decorated with lights, a selection of handmade tree ornaments, doorknob hangings, music boxes, quilts, Yule logs and children’s books.
Bring serious money if you’re planning on becoming a black belt Christmas ninja this year, or if you’re still in the dabbling stage, bring 50 cents and/or canned goods for the homeless to cover your admission. Don’t be surprised, though, if you find yourself heading for the automated teller after a quick browse at the boutique. I warn you, this season is addictive.
Dibs on the stuffed Santa.
