Eat Shop Play 2022

Welcome to Fayette County’s Eat. Shop. Play.

There are many places to eat, many places to shop and many places to create lasting memories with your family and friends in Fayette and surrounding counties. The Fayette County Record has teamed up with our advertisers to offer you a way to increase your spending power all while shopping at these local advertisers.

Participation is easy. Whenever you make a purchase at any of the advertisers in this publication, keep the receipts and bring them into The Fayette County Record for verification.

For every $20 spent, you receive a punch in the card. (See sample on this page.) For every $100 spent, you will receive an entry in the Eat. Shop. Play. and Win! contest.

The more you spend, the more chances you have to win.

Three lucky shoppers will have extra dollars to spend on gifts (or themselves) this Christmas season as The Fayette County Record presents Eat. Shop. Play. and Win!

This promotion is a Christmas shopping contest. The contest will run during the Christmas shopping season beginning Friday, November 18, 2022 and ending Monday, December 19, 2022. Three names will be drawn on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 for a $300, $200, and $100 gift certificate to any of the participating merchants.

Lost or stolen cards will not be replaced. Qualifying purchases totaling $20 per punch can only be verified and validated at The Fayette County Record, located at 127 S. Washington St., La Grange, open MondayFriday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Receipts must be original and must be punched along with the punchcard. The receipt must show the business name and must be dated from November 18 - December 19, 2022. Limit 25 completed punch cards ($2,500) per receipt may be received during the contest period.

To enter, each card must include five punches and should then be dropped off at The Fayette County Record office or the La Grange Main Street & Visitors Bureau office as an entry to win one of three gift certificates for $300, $200, and $100 that can then be spent at any of the advertising businesses in the Eat. Shop. Play. and Win! magazine.

Advertisers receiving these gift certificates may then redeem these certificates toward advertising dollars at The Fayette County Record.

Eat. Shop. Play. and Win! is a contest to promote local businesses and encourage shopping with advertisers in The Fayette County Record.

Employees of The Fayette County Record are not eligible to win.

On a cold winter morning, with snow covering the La Grange Railroad Depot, if you listen, you can hear the sound of a bell. Really.

No, it’s not the silver bell of the Polar Express. It’s the clock tower atop the Fayette County Courthouse, ringing out the hour. And it really does snow in La Grange – every once in a while.

But glistening snow or summer sunshine, the Railroad Depot stands silently, conjuring memories of magical journeys to faraway places or of long-gone relatives coming home to La Grange for a visit.

It’s a place of history, a place of welcome and especially at Christmas, a place of excitement. All sorts of events occur at the Depot, but none are more exciting than when Santa arrives.

This year, the Jolly Old Elf will ride a Union Pacific locomotive up to the depot on Saturday morning, Dec. 10. Train schedules are hard to predict (bad weather at the North Pole maybe), but Santa is likely to arrive mid-morning. And hundreds of children are likely to be on hand to greet him.

It’s all free, with cookies and goodies and plenty of time to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what’s wanted under the Christmas tree.

Each year, the Union Pacific and Friends of the La Grange Depot team up to provide a close-up look at contemporary railroads to children and adults alike at Christmas. But all through the year, the Depot Museum tells the story of historical railroading, through exhibits, artifacts, maps, pictures and knowledgeable docents who greet visitors. At Halloween, Friends of the Museum joined with their downtown neighbors to participate in Trick or Treat on the Square. And when Schmeckenfest is celebrated downtown on Thursday, Dec. 1, the depot will be open with treats for visitors.

But it doesn’t require a special event to enjoy this historic structure. People can explore the depot grounds anytime. And on Saturdays, the building and two cabooses are opened up by volunteers who love to tell the stories of historic La Grange.

Since 1897, this building has been on North Washington Street at the railroad tracks. In fact, it is thought to be the oldest railroad depot in Texas still at its original location. Other depots are older, but they have been moved from their original sites to parks or other places.

In October 2022, the Texas State Historical Commission approved a Texas Historic Landmark designation for the La Grange Depot. This coincides with the 125th anniversary of its opening, which will be in November this year.

The story of the depot actually dates back 10 years earlier, to August 1887, when the first train arrived on the brand new tracks of the Taylor Bastrop & Houston Railway Co. The TB&H was soon absorbed by the MissouriKansas-Texas Railroad, known as the Katy.

But in March 1897, fire broke out in a new building on the same block as the depot. The flames quickly spread to other structures and the depot was declared a complete loss.

During the next eight months, the

M-K-T built a new depot for the town of La Grange, which opened for use in

November 1897. For 125 years, this historic building has welcomed the public – either as travelers, shop customers, Chamber of Commerce visitors or museum guests.

Now owned by the City of La Grange, the depot last saw passenger service in 1957, but the Katy continued to use it for freight service until 1983. It then was leased by various businesses until 1996, when local rail enthusiasts organized, hoping to create a nonprofit museum. In 1999, Friends of the La Grange Railroad Depot officially gained title to the historic property and in 2002 turned it over to the city.

The Friends organization not only refurbished the old depot, but also gathered an impressive collection of railroad equipment, artifacts and memorabilia in order to create an enduring museum. Since that time, the Friends group has acquired two railroad cabooses, painted in authentic Katy colors, to place on the depot property. The cabooses and depot are open to the public regularly.

Located adjacent to the Texas Quilt Museum, the depot has become particularly popular with husbands who aren’t quite as interested in quilts as their wives. It’s also popular with children, too.

Hands-on activities include a railroad telegraph. Kids can tap out Morse Code on one telegraph key and see the response of another key across the building. There’s also the station master’s typewriter to type on – something computer-age kids may have not touched before.

Overhead a G-gauge model train runs on tracks suspended from the ceiling. There’s a semaphore tower that was used to signal passing trains. The passenger waiting room is outfitted with benches along with display cases for interesting artifacts. There’s also a freight room where toy trains can be found.

And outside, the two cabooses are opened up to explore.

The green one (a “steel sheathed” caboose) was acquired by the museum in 2009 and painted in the historically accurate style of the Missouri-KansasTexas Railroad. Instead of the traditional cupola on top, this is a “bay window caboose,” with the cupola on the side.

Until the 1980s, every freight train in the U.S. was required by law to have a caboose on its end. These iconic cars provided a look-out post for the train conductor and shelter for the operating crew.

The yellow one was among the last “wood sheathed” cabooses made by the M-K-T. It was built in 1937 in the Katy’s Denison, Texas, shops and was retired from service in 1964. When the La Grange museum acquired it in 2014, it was painted in another historically accurate Katy Railroad color scheme.

Steps from the ground have been added for both cabooses to make it easier for visitors to get in and out.

Inside the depot, history lives on through an original M-K-T safe, the ticket window, the station master’s desk, a display of railroad lanterns, maps, photos and reproduced newspaper articles. A number of toy trains can keep the little ones busy. Numerous donated railroad books also can be had for a free-will donation.

There is no admission charge at the La Grange Depot Museum. Public restrooms also are available.

La Grange Depot Museum Fun Facts

North Washington Street at Union Pacific tracks.

Originally built in 1897 by MissouriKansas-Texas (Katy) Railroad.

Operated by Friends of the La Grange Depot since 1999.

Outdoor area open every day.

Schmeckenfest, Thursday evening, Dec. 1.

Santa at the Depot, Saturday morning, Dec. 10.

Depot and cabooses open most Saturdays from 10 a.m.

Also open by appointment at other times.

Email: lgmktdepot@gmail.com

There’s more information about the La Grange Depot Museum on Facebook. Search for “La Grange M-K-T Depot Museum.”

The end of the year has arrived! As we begin our holiday preparations, many a Christmas gift wish list will be made. And while you can certainly find those items online or at the bigger department stores, La Grange Main Street would like to encourage you to support your community and its numerous local businesses on Small Business Saturday, this November 26th.

A counterpart to other shopping Holidays such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is an opportunity for us to patronize our locally owned small businesses as we head into the holiday season. When you support local businesses, you’re not just travelling less to buy something, you’re helping to stimulate the local economy, you’re

helping to build a better sense of community, and you’re supporting your neighbors.

This year, the Historic Casino Hall will host a breakfast that morning at 9:30 am where you’ll receive a coupon book for our participating businesses before you embark on your day of shopping. Make sure that you keep your receipt at each location you stop by, because if you bring them back to the Casino Hall before 3 PM that day, each receipt will give you a ticket to enter one of several raffles we will be hosting!

For more information, please contact the Office of Community Development at (979) 968-3017 or email ambassador@cityoflg.com. We look forward to shopping small with you!

KatySweet Confectioners is a candy manufacturing company in La Grange, Texas started by Kay Carlton in 1995. Using an old family recipe, Kay made pecan candy as gifts for family and friends for many years in the same way she had watched her mother and grandmother make candy at holidays. However, when Kay started making candy as holiday gifts for business acquaintances, she realized there was an opportunity for a business. Kay and her husband Dick enjoyed business and with kids off at college they thought this might be fun. Dick is a fantastic marketer and he envisioned candy in a big way, shipped to wholesale customers on pallets. Kay had never dreamed of that kind of success so she was delighted .

Kay spent several years going to candy schools, learning about confectionery and working with the recipe, developing it for the commercial market but retaining the all-natural ingredients such as real butter and vanilla. The candy is cooked in big stainless and copper kettles and is now sold throughout the country thanks to a creative and energetic team of sales personnel.

As KatySweet grew, a larger manufacturing facility was built where retail, mail order,

and wholesale orders could be manufactured and sold throughout the United States. When Covid came along we closed our candy store but our wholesale customers kept selling candy so business didn’t slow down. Today the food market is changing and manufacturing companies are adding more wholesome products using sugar substitutes and KatySweet is developing new products in this direction as well, to offer our larger wholesale customers. With the holiday season upon us we decided to open our retail candy store and make some specialty products for a limited basis for our local friends and travelers passing by.

Find authentic German Christmas decorations in the Museum Store at Trail of Lights

Kreische Brewery and Monument Hill Celebrate German Christmas Traditions at Trail of Lights 2022

Fröhe Weihnachten! From the time of the earliest German settlers in Texas, German families have been practicing and sharing their Christmas traditions with their neighbors. At Trail of Lights 2022, visitors to Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill State Historic Sites will hear and see the many influences of German culture on today’s holiday music and decorations. The event will feature five festival nights with live music, refreshments, family activities, living history programs, visits with Santa, and more. Then, during the week before Christmas, guests can enjoy five “encore” nights by simply walking the trail to enjoy the lights with their family and friends.

A new musical display call O Tannenbaum will feature a variety of lighted Christmas trees on the bluff along with large ornaments and presents. Children will also enjoy the

new Candy Lane decorations as they travel through the woods toward the overlook of the Kreische Brewery, which will be warmly glowing. Last year’s Dog Park will have even more friendly canines frolicking about. And yes, well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome to join their human family members as they stroll through the Trail of Lights.

Activities at the Kreische House include costumed volunteers and staff sharing German Christmas traditions. Guests will have the opportunity to explore the traditionally decorated home, add ornaments to the tree, sample kinderpunsch and lebkuchen, and see the Kreische smokehouse in action.

Holiday revelers will enjoy live music, cookies, popcorn, and hot chocolate at the festival tent. At the Visitors Center,

children can make a Victorian ornament and take photos with Santa. Adults will enjoy shopping the Museum Store stocked with new German heritage gifts including authentic German holiday decorations such as pyramids and nutcrackers.

Stringing lights and creating light displays throughout the grounds of the historic sites takes over a month of preparation and work. “The Rotary Club of La Grange and the La Grange Noon Lions Club are invaluable partners in setting up and taking down Trail of Lights decorations,” says assistant site manager, Gavin Miculka. The Friends of Kreische Brewery and Monument Hill members and board also donate their time generously to making the grounds a magical place during December.

New light displays, affordable admissions, local entertainment, holiday refreshments,

and take-home crafts would not be possible without the generous support of the community and sponsors. “We are particularly grateful for our Platinum level sponsor, Fayette Memorial Funeral Home, who helps make Trail of Lights a special memory for thousands of Texans,” shares Friends Board President, Katy Beauford.

Trail of Lights will span ten nights this holiday season: December 9th-10th, and 16th -23rd. The first five dates are “Festival” nights featuring activities, entertainment, refreshments, visits with Santa, and more. The last five dates are “Encore” nights where guests can stroll among the lights, enjoying one another’s company.

Additional details on Trail of Lights 2022 can be found at www.friendsofkbmh. org/trailoflights or by calling the sites’ visitors center at (979) 968-5658.

BEEF!

BEEF!

It’s What’s for Christmas!

written by Becky Weise

Have you ever thought of giving Wagyu beef as a Christmas gift? I guess it would be a little hard to wrap up a steak or a side of beef and place it under the tree. Some love ribeyes. Others love a New York strip. Filet mignon are the favorite cut of some for sure. We can help you give something that will really be appreciated... delicious locally grown Food.

No worries! We have a solution. Gift Certificates! And you can give any amount you want. Let them pick out their favorite. Here’s an idea... gift your adult son or daughter with a side of beef and let them choose how they want it cut with custom processing. It isn’t too early to think about Christmas. A Weise Farms gift certificate pairs perfectly with one of our grilling baskets or a delicious biscuit gift basket for a lovely presentation under the tree.

Our mission is to bring healthy and delicious locally grown foods from our Farm to your table. When you buy from us, you are investing in the future of the local American food supply chain.You don’t even have to ask what country it’s from. It’s food from “the country” just down the road. Thank you for letting us be your farmer.

Weise Farms Gift Certificates do not expire, and they can be used for anything we have in stock, including beef, lamb, chicken, pickles, salsa, eggs, pasta, noodles, biscuit mix or even fresh fruit and produce in season! So give them a gift that they will consume and love! They will think of you with every tasty bite.

Beef! It’s what’s for Christmas!

Bows & Bones Grooming & Boarding

Bows and Bones pet Salon was founded in 2010 in a small shop on the bluff in La Grange, TX. Since that opening day we have had the privilege of working on many of your beloved pets. We have local customers right here in Fayette County as well as customers that come to us from the Austin and Houston areas. In the past we have only done boarding for our grooming customers, but this year we have expanded our business to include pet boarding that will encompass grooming customers as well as those customers that are needing boarding alone. Because we are dog owners, we know what you’re looking for in a boarding situation. We take the responsibility of your pet seriously. We would be honored to have you as one of our customers. Please feel free to give us a call to for all your grooming or boarding needs. We’d love to show you around our kennels.

they are family. We look forward to working with you and can't wait to meet your fur baby!

• 979-968-8380

4817 Petter Rainosek Loop, La Grange, TX 78945

The pandemic affected communities in every corner of the globe, and many people found they had much more time on their hands due to stay-at-home restrictions. That extra free time may have opened up the opportunity to re-engage with old hobbies or start entirely new ones. Such endeavors may have resulted in items that can make ideal handmade holiday gifts.

Crafting or engaging in other creative pursuits was a great way to pass the time and alleviate anxiety related to self-quarantining.

Many people have continued the hobbies they started during the pandemic and some have even started small business endeavors with those hobbies. If you are a crafty person, you may want to make gifts yourself. Many items are easy to make and the items are readily available. Some optional homemade gifts include:

Jewelry: Most craft stores now have entire aisles dedicated to making jewelry. From earring posts and loops to necklace brackets and all the essentials in between, jewelry crafters can create something fitting for the special people on their lists.

Candles: Candles add light, warmth and aroma to help a home feel cozy. With some basic components, such as a wax source, wick, tint, and scent oils, it’s easy to make candles. Pour the wax into a favorite vessel, such as a mason jar or delicate teacup.

Handmade soaps: Those who dabble in candles may want to parlay those skills into soapmaking as well. Soaps can be crafted relatively easy and packaged as part of the ultimate homemade spa package.

Oven mitts or skillet handle covers: Gift that special home chef with custom oven mitts and a coordinating skillet holder

for popular cast-iron cookery. An easy pattern, some durable fabric and some basic sewing skills are all that’s needed.

Handmade blanket: Those who love to knit or crochet know the bounty that can be made with needle, hook and yarn. From homemade afghans to cozy slippers to scarf and hat sets, the options are endless.

Food: Those whose talents lean more toward culinary than crafty can pour their holiday love into delicious desserts or tasty tidbits.

For those of you who find yourself too busy for making things yourself, going to farmers markets, craft fairs and other such events avails you the opportunity to purchase hand made items for your family and friends.

Either way, handmade gifts provide an opportunity to offer personal and meaningful gifts that can make the holidays that much more special.

wildflowers.lace237@gmail.com 979.249.6591

in Oldenburg, Texas Handmade by Regina Keilers

Le Petite Gourmet Shoppe

Making the Christmas Season Bright

written by Coy Heinrich

Le Petite Gourmet Shoppe is more than just your small-town kitchen supply shop. We take pride in all our products and services and serve our community with the best of the best from all around the world. Established in 2006, there has not been one day that we have not brought our best to the table, in all things culinary, to our customers and longtime patrons.

We are your one stop shop for all your gourmet and everyday culinary needs!

With products from Germany, France, England, and more, we have something that is sure to be the perfect gift for anyone on your list. For anyone who is not a cooking enthusiast, we do offer large selections of teas, food starters, mixes, treats, and additions for all food lovers.

Along with many different cultural products, we also carry many U.S.A. made products that meet all healthy production standards. We carry everything from glass storage containers to American made bakeware, cutlery, and cookware. We take pride in being at the forefront of the latest and greatest in the culinary industry, whether that be Nano bond cookware to Induction technology.

Our team members are well educated on our products and help to foster a personal buying experience to get you the perfect product for any occasion or dish. Visit Le Petite Gourmet Shoppe for a shopping experience you will never forget, products you may have never seen, and a wholesome atmosphere to make the Christmas Season Bright!

Located on the square in La Grange, and open seven days a week, we invite you to come learn and shop for a while!

One of a Kind Santa Museum in Columbus is

The museum features more than 4,000 Santas from all over the world. Opening in 1990, the building was donated by the late Mrs. Laura Ann Rau, founding member of the Columbus Historical Preservation Trust, Inc. The museum currently houses three major collections with another collection coming in 2023.

Mary Elizabeth Youens Hopkins began collecting Santas in the early 1970s and it was her extensive collection that launched the Santa Museum. An almost life-sized Santa Claus, formerly displayed in a department store in Garwood in the 1950s is one of the most popular Santas in her collection.

Santa Claus Museum

Columbus,

In 2019, the Luman Collection and the Hubenak Collection were added to the museum prompting an expansion of the showrooms. The Luman Collection consists of a large number of Lladro ceramic Santas as well as an impressive number of Santas in sleighs. The Hubenaks began collecting Santas in the late 1990s and over the years amassed a collection of more than 400 Santa figurines, dolls, artwork, and other collectibles.

This one-of-a-kind museum is open from 11 am to 4 pm the first three Fridays and Saturdays in December and from 11 am to 4 pm December 19-23 and December 26-30. The Jolly ‘Ole Man

himself will be at the museum during these hours. To visit any other time of the year, contact the Columbus Chamber of Commerce to schedule an appointment. For more information visit santamuseum. org or call them at 979-732-5135.

Columbus is a quick drive from Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, and offers a variety of unique shopping destinations filled with clothing, home décor, antiques, and more. And bring your appetite. Whether pining for a sweet treat or something a bit heartier, Columbus restaurants and specialty food shops will satisfy any craving you may have.

The

in

Texas is one of only two Santa museums in the country and is the ONLY Santa Museum in the South!