The secret source for the best hostess gifts and holiday decor
It’s time for The Market, the annual shopping extravaganza coordinated by the Junior League of Birmingham to bring together the best boutique shopping and “it” items under one roof. It is a giant bazaar of vendors from far and wide who bring everything from soup (bases) to nuts (recipes for roasting) and every kind of super-cute holiday and gift item in between.
The Market is one of the best girlfriend/sister/mom shopping venues in the city. Here’s just a sample of what you can expect:
- Monogrammed anything – most done while you wait (including the industrial weight, enamel coated single initials that are so festive hanging on a door…it’s a southern thing)
- Ornaments, ribbons, decorations, and seasonal merchandise that isn’t at mass retailers yet
- Serving pieces of all sorts and for all occasions – acrylic, ceramic, earthenware, aluminum
- Table linens such as runners and cocktail napkins; cosmetic bags, totes, and weekender bags
- Gift wrap – any color scheme you can imagine, with the same distinctive curling ribbons, tent boxes and cellophane bags that boutique stores use. CASH ONLY at this booth, as I have finally learned.
- Jewelry, from handmade artisan pieces to convincing costume designer knock offs
- Seasoning packets for cheese balls of course; what self-respecting Junior League market wouldn’t promote this food group?
General admission tickets are $12 and we’d be missing the whole point if we didn’t mention how your purchase of a single ticket will provide 4 weekends of food to a food insecure local student through the JLB/Vineyard Family Services Backpack Buddies program. Bring a few girlfriends and your combined tickets could add up to new clothing to help victims in crisis at the Rape Response Center. That’s a lot of assistance to our community for the same price as a movie ticket.
The Market is at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center off Hwy 280. General admission shopping starts Thursday, November 15th at 9 a.m. and goes strong until 8 p.m., beginning again at 9 a.m. again on Friday. Saturday shopping runs from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Saturday SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS will be available for photos with your kids between 9 – 11 (bring your own camera; kids under 12 admitted free).
Strollers are welcome after 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday and all day Saturday. In other words, serious shoppers are elbowing around before then!