At Home Places, Holiday 2022

HOLIDAY

Time for Maryland Christmas Show

Among the thousands who attend, many are Santa’s elves

LOCATION: Frederick County Fairgrounds 797 East Patrick St. Frederick, Md. 21705 DATES: November 18, 19 & 20, November 25, 26 & 27 TIME: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sundays

ADMISSION: Adults: $10; Children (10 and under): $4

For more information, call (301) 845-0003 or visit marylandchristmasshow.com

Written by LINDA HARKCOM

Frances Lynch founded the Maryland Christmas Show 39 years ago. Since then, the two-weekend long event at the Frederick County Fair Grounds, has turned into a holiday season tradition many look forward to.

“Some people come back year after year and tell us it is a tradition for them,” Lynch says, “We’ve made so many friends over the years. It has become like a big family.”

This year’s event will be held on Nov. 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27. According to Lynch, about 15,000 people will come through the event over those two weekends.

Lynch said the event averages 125 to 150 vendors each year that are set up throughout seven buildings.

“We are mainly an arts and crafts event, but we do have some merchant booths as well. We have picked up a lot of new vendors this year. Many are coming from the former Sugarloaf Show,” Lynch said.

She says there is a wide variety of vendors at the event each year including wood carvers, jewelry, baskets, clothing, art, candy makers, wines, cheeses, spices, herbs, salt and even a “nice sized” local bakery.

“We put a lot of thought into placement. We try to make sure every building has a nice variety,” Lynch says.

A few of the vendors do come for just one of the two weekends. Lynch said some people may choose to attend both weekends in order to see all of the vendors the event has to offer.

Sandie Phillips, owner of Enchanted Elf Images of Forest, Va., has been a vendor at the show for 30 years. She said one reason she keeps coming back is Frances Lynch and her family.

The “real” Santa meets one of Enchanted Elf Images’ life sized Santas at the Maryland Christmas Show at the Frederick County Fairgrounds.

COURTESY OF ENCHANTED ELF IMAGES

An 18-inch elf crafted by Enchanted Elf Images. The elves are individually sculpted making each of them one of a kind.

“The Lynch family has just been terrific to work with. It started with Frances, and now her kids and her granddaughter are involved. They do a great job and run a tight show. I think it’s neat that it is a family business,” Phillips said.

Phillips hand-sculpts Santa figures and Christmas elves, crafting the faces and hats out of polymer clay. The bodies are created using felt and wire so that they are moveable and posable. The figures range in size from the smallest elves, that are 12 inches, up to life-size Santa Clauses standing five to six feet high.

Another reason Phillips says that she comes back year after year is for the people who come to the show.

“We have repeat customers that come back year after year. Some have come back for 26 years. They are now more like family than customers,” Phillips says.

One of those customers is Linda Miller of Middletown, Md. She and her daughter Caitlyn Miller have attended the show for 28 years. Linda Miller has collected several pieces of Phillips work over those years. She said she has purchased elves, Santa figurines, and even a special commissioned miniature toy box.

“I save my spending money all year long in order to get one of her elves. I would say I’ve become a collector,” Miller says.

Initially, Miller says they started attending the show just to go to the craft fair.

“But then I met the nicest Santa Claus. Every year we kept going back for Santa but also for the show,” Miller says. Lynch notes that people coming to see Santa Claus has become a tradition for many attendees.

“We are at the point after 39 years that folks who had been children are now parents, and they are bringing their own children to see Santa,” Lynch says.

While Lynch says that the original Santa who she had first met and who had been at the show for many years, has since retired. But they still have a real life Santa and Mrs. Claus at the event each year. Guests can take pictures with Santa for free and if everyone wants to get into the picture, Mrs.

Claus would be happy to take it. The new Santa is definitely worth visiting the show to see, Miller says. “His suit is a little more modern than the old-world Santa they had, but he is very good. He is still a lot more authentic than your typical Santa you would see other places. He has a real beard and spectacles,” Miller says.

It is important to Lynch that the show is highly decorated, with numerous photo opportunities for attendees. “We put up a lot of big trees that people like to get their pictures taken in front of. We pipe and drape the whole thing in red fabric, every single building. It makes for a very attractive event,” Lynch says.

Miller enjoys looking at all of the many crafters and different vendors.

“Some come every year and there are new people every year too. So, there is always a variety and the new vendors keep it exciting,” Miller says. “We go with the intention of looking for something special. Often the new vendors will have something new and different.”

Another tradition for Miller and her daughter is having lunch at the event and enjoying fancy hot chocolate. Lynch says there is a building just for people to have lunch, as well as two entire buildings dedicated to food vendors, and even one tent that has nothing but candy.

Tickets for the event are $10 for adults, $4 for children, and children 10 and under are free. Lynch said tickets will be available at the door, and they will be selling them online for the first time this year on their website www. marylandchristmasshow.com.