Garden Party Fun

As announced briefly on Facebook, we had a great Father’s Day weekend here – a little steamy, but we kept the air conditioning going, and were able to give away all 14 door prizes this year – yipee!  We gave away a prize each hour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it’s so much fun that the folks were here to claim them – we only had to use one back-up name. 

Here are some pictures of the card-making, face-painting, and cookie-decorating fun we had on Saturday.

Kids of all ages enjoyed making Father’s Day cards!

And then came cookie decorating.  Choose your icing color and your topping favorite first…

Then get to work…

And somewhere in between, add a butterfly or a bear paw to your face.

The associates in Department 56 decided to get in some fun with a 50s theme – Root Beer Floats for only 5 cents!  They raised over $60 in donations for our Relay for Life team.

A genuine poodle skirt, pedal-pushers, and a jaunty, polka-dot neck scarf set the stage for the day!

We also made bows and wreaths, demonstrated setting up a small village with your Department 56 houses, and had guests racing around the store answering our Scavenger Hunt questions – where do you go at Christmas Place to create your own beach?  Good question!  Evelyn Smith from West Virginia, winner of the Scavenger Hunt, can tell you.  I will tell you that you must go to Mrs. Claus’ Candy Kitchen for a really refreshing ice cream cone on a hot summer day…

Hope you enjoyed a marvelous weekend and Father’s Day, and that you’ll be able to join us this time next year for more fun and prizes!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Father’s Day Garden Party Next Weekend

Early announcement that we’ll be hosting our annual Father’s Day Garden Party – on Father’s Day weekend!  You knew that! You so smart!

Saturday and Sunday, June 20th and 21st.

We’re really looking forward to all the fun ~ face painting, cookie decorating, wreath-making, bow-tying, building a small Department 56 village scene, and of course, last year’s most popular event, making a card for Dad.  More than one dad was seen wiping a tear on a sleeve upon receiving a hand-made, heart-made card. 

Free stuff!  Hourly prize giveaways!  A weekend grand prize giveaway if you play our Scavenger Hunt game!  We love exclamation points!

On Sunday, dads will receive a free cookie and a small drink at the Candy Kitchen.  We’ll have strolling entertainers in the courtyard, and the Parrot Mountain exotic birds will be on display.

Really, fun stuff all weekend to kick off our summer celebrations.  Come join us!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

and a good time was had by all!

It was standing room only as over 100 Father’s Day cards were made Saturday by guests at the Garden Party!  Kids also had a great time with face painting (their own…by a professional…), clowning and ballooning, a scavenger trivia hunt throughout the stores, and cookie decorating.

and then there was this giant parrot…IDK, a little scary – but he came along with some real companions.

  (Mac is the one in the scary human outfit!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We gave away lots of prizes, demonstrated decorating wreaths and  (glittery) Christmas boxes, built a small Department 56 village display – the size you could have on your coffee table or book case.  Dads even enjoyed a free cookie on Sunday – peanut butter was reportedly the favorite, note to bakers.  (I’ll check with Singing Santa to see what he prefers; more later.) 

Sure hope YOU will join the fun next time!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Beautiful flowers in time for the Garden Party

broken record alert….we are having a Garden Party here at the store this weekend!  Sure I’ve mentioned it a couple of times already, but having enjoyed the preparations so much I’m really excited ~ and hopeful that a lot of people will stop by and join the fun!  Our landscaping team has done an outstanding job with summer flowers, of course.  Here’s a picture of the model train in our courtyard.

Come on over to the store on Saturday and Sunday for face painting, wreath-making and bow-tying demonstrations, Father’s Day card making, Department 56 demonstrations, flower tours and sales, cookie decorating, parrots of all kinds, clowning entertainers, and ~ my favorite ~ we’re giving away prizes every hour.  What could be more fun than a couple of days filled with FREE entertainment, demonstrations, and prizes!

Have a great weekend, and Happy Father’s Day to all the deserving dads out there.

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

June Garden Party Time!

We’ve been busy busy busy since last week planning the details for our upcoming Garden Party on June 14th and 15th, and are happy to report that all can now be revealed!

• Face painting for the kids, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
• Card making for the kids, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday ~ for Father’s Day on Sunday
• Team Kirkwood character entertainment both days
• Cookie decorating, wreath making, and bow tying demonstrations on Saturday
• Department 56 Village construction demonstrations on Saturday
• Flower tours and plant sales on Saturday and Sunday (have you seen our courtyard and property??  it’s always beautimus!)
• Hourly prizes both days, Department 56 prizes and memberships, and a grand prize giveaway
• A free drink and a cookie for all Dads on Sunday
• In addition to the two outrageously rainbow-colored parrots in the courtyard now, Parrot Mountain will be on hand with additional birds and information.  I just can’t believe these birds are real sometimes.  (We also have our resident African Grey, Simon, in Second Nature.  watch your fingers.)

Sorry I couldn’t get a better shot of him, but he refused to hop outside the cage for me…

Still hoping for a park ranger to come and talk about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but that one is unconfirmed.

So, keep your fingers crossed with us for a lovely weekend weather pattern, and we’ll provide all the fun and prizes!

~Janet at The Christmas Place

Back to Monday…

Whoa, is it Monday already?  How time flies when you’re doing a wedding with 200+ guests!  But a good time was had by all, and the couple are soon off for a week’s holiday while the rest of us happy celebrants are back at our keyboards.  I would be the TALL one, so any high stapling and reaching and placing fell on moi’s shoulders – my arms are sore ~ but my fingers aren’t.

We’re sailing into summer already here and looking forward to the annual Garden Party, falling on Father’s Day weekend this year.  It’s all about fun activities and entertainment, including a plant sale and prize give-aways throughout the day.  Our very own horticulture team will be on hand with plenty of information and helpful hints to keep the garden blooming all summer.  Details to come….

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

What garden is complete without a gnome?  We’ve got gnomes from all the big schools on hand in Second Nature.

Artists Visiting The Incredible Christmas Place

As with any collectible, the artist’s signature on a piece measurably increases its value.  We have already scheduled several signing events for the summer and fall.  These events present a great opportunity for you to purchase the newest collectibles in a line and have them signed by the artist who was inspired to create the piece.

Often, there are presales of new items ~ so you can order ahead, have your piece signed during the event, and we’ll ship it directly to you after the event.  If possible, wouldn’t it be more fun to come on down to the store and meet the artist in person?  I haven’t experienced one yet myself, but I hear that it’s a kick to meet and talk with them in the store.

• Friday, July 18, 2008 – Mark Roberts, creator of Fairies and Santas ~ there are new, exclusive pieces which may be preordered by calling the store and will be shipped to you after the event.
• Saturday, July 19, 2008 – Charming Tails signing ~ there will be a piece or two sold exclusively during the signing event.
• Saturday, October 4, 2008 – Kristi Pierro, Department 56 and Snowbabies ~ the spring releases have just been announced, and we’ll be preselling several pieces in both collections.
• Saturday, October 4, 2008 – NeQwa ~ one of the artists who creates these exquisite, hand-painted ornaments will be in the store.
• Saturday, October 18, 2008 – John Satterfield, San Francisco Music Box

Of course, mixed in with all these signings, we’ll also have the usual summer exclusive happenings here at The Christmas Place.

• June 14-15, 2008 ~ Garden Party, with face-painting for the kids, fun and games, and general merriment throughout the store and courtyard.
• June 15, 2008 ~ Father’s Day celebration.
• July 1, 2008 ~ Singing Santa is available for individual and family photos in the store.
• July 4, 2008 ~ Uncle Sam is in the house.
• August 30-31, 2008 ~ Annual Labor Day Sidewalk Sale (bargains all over the place).

We do keep things hopping around here, even before Santa and the elves are back from summer vacations!  Come on by and stop in for a visit.  What better way to cool off in the heat of summer than with a trip to the North Pole?  (We have one here, uh-huh, I’ve seen the sign!)

~Janet @ The Christmas Place