Column: Sunny Saturday gives Black Friday a run for its money

By Margi Washburn

I love bazaars. They’re uplifting, colorful, the aromas make my mouth water, and there are smiling faces almost everywhere.

Today is supposedly the busiest shopping day of the year. Black Friday, they call it, but I prefer what I call Sunny Saturday. Most holiday bazaars fall on a Saturday, after all, and it makes for a great opportunity to find unique Christmas gifts.

In our family, we eagerly look forward to dragging ourselves out from under warm covers, splashing cold water on our faces, ramming a comb through tangled hair and donning layers of clothing so we can stuff ourselves into our car, park a mile away from our destination, and hoof it to the front door with our breath puffing out in front leading the way.

Just kidding. We really do look forward to these times together. It’s just that last Saturday, someone who shall remain nameless, kind of slept in and didn’t fully open their sleepy eyeballs until the driver honked the horn in the driveway beneath the bedroom window.

At first, the driver, who was the most recently invited, thought that this was some kind of dirty trick. She used her cell phone to call the third person in this trio to ask if she was ready to go. I, of course, had been up since before 5 a.m. and had been ready for nearly an hour and a half. The bazaar had started at 7, and it was now 7:20.

I suggested the driver come get me, then we’d go back and pick up Mrs. Sleepy. We did, and we apparently didn’t miss too much at our first stop. We walked out with delectable goodies, some gifts for the littlest ones, and a much-coveted cookbook with Kewaneean Dorothy Atwell’s recipes.

The next bazaar didn’t begin until 9, so we went off to have breakfast. After plenty of coffee, we discussed high finance, as in: “How much cash do you have? Do they take checks? I don’t want to write a check for every little thing.” The one who had the most cash in her purse generously doled out some to the other two. And we were off.

We circled the site a couple of times, then the driver dropped us at the front door and went off to find a place to park. She asked us to wait inside the front door for her so we could synchronize our meeting times. We promised we would, then both of us promptly went in search of the restrooms. I made it back in time to tattle on the other one for running off.

I knew we’d be inside this glorious place for well over an hour. The three of us met and caught up with folks we hadn’t seen in too long a time. We hugged, laughed, talked and shopped. We took the time to check out each vendor and we were deeply impressed by the hard work they obviously put into their craft.

Eventually the three of us ended up at one of the tables where we sat to collect our thoughts and decided whether we’d seen everything yet. I had a ball watching people shop and talk, enjoying themselves and the atmosphere of a holiday bazaar.

We eventually went our separate ways. Hubby and I went to an auction, and on our stroll up West Central Boulevard, we came across a trio of sassy squirrels. I got some great photos before we headed home.

We found out later over coffee in our homes, the bakers outdid themselves again. I can only imagine how much their families and friends look forward to a visit from these folks. And it isn’t just their cookies, pies, cakes and breads that impressed me; these people are good-hearted and friendly, and it shows.

There may be one or two bazaars left before Christmas, and we’ll probably go to them simply because the memories of the time we spend together is the perfect gift.

Still, I may run into a few of you this morning because it’s awfully hard to pass up a good sale, and those times can make for good memories too.