•
A Newbie at the Nutcracker Market
Posted By janice on November 17, 2008
This past Saturday, I attended the annual Nutcracker Market for the first time ever. As a newbie, I sought counsel from veterans, who gave me advice about buying an advanced ticket, getting there early, hitting the Paul Michael section first, and wearing tennis shoes. I did bring my Christmas list with me. I was the first in line at my turnstile, and as I walked into the actual exhibit hall, I was overwhelmed by the insanity of it all. Literally assaulted by sights and sounds of everything Christmas, I felt like a kid in a candy store. As I trolled through the rows and rows of vendors, I marveled at the variety of items and bobbles for sale. Silk pajamas, Christmas ornaments, picture frames, jewelry, pie mixes. You name it, they had it! One of my favorite buys was the ADD and JOY sticky notes. Underneath ADD, it read “Another Dramatic Dilemma,” and for JOY, it said “Just Organize Yourself.” For my line of work, it’s the perfect gift. If you get one, act surprised.
At one point, I saw a girl, probably about 5-years-old, stop and fall to her knees in sleepy delirium in the middle of an aisle. Her mother picked her up and told her she would carry her for her nap. About an hour or so later, I knew it was time to leave when I felt like that girl – ready to fall over dead tired.
I came home with three bags of goodies, and some of them were actually Christmas gifts. It was a good day.
Now that I’m a veteran and have seen what it’s all about, I can better plan for next year’s Nutcracker Market like a general planning a battle.
The first year at the Nutcracker Market is a shock, even if you think you know what to expect. It gets easier, and it’s always fun. I go with a list and have gotten better about keeping to what’s on the list.