You may have noticed that Galveston County is brimming with talented artists and crafters. As the season for giving
approaches, perhaps considering a less “commercial” approach to the season might be in order. When I was young,
Christmas was a time when families came together and gifts were made for those we knew were in need. We might
make a dog house for a neighbor whose pet slept outside, or a blanket tent for the children down the street who had
no toys. We would gather berries and apples and bake pies all day long and make frames for pictures kept in boxes
under the bed. Stockings would be filled with pecans picked from yards and maybe an orange at the top from Santa.
Christmas morning there would be a gift for each of us under the tree, wrapped in grocery bags we had painstakingly
colored and decorated with leaves and cotton balls to make a fitting Christmas scene and tied with yarn or a hair ribbon,
to be worn later after all the gifts had been opened.
During the Art Festival, I had the chance to visit a local artist who turns gourds into all sorts of fanciful creatures –
from kittens to giraffes to nativity scenes to Santa himself! And that visit reminded me of how wonderful it was to take a
thing and make it into something else – something someone would cherish or just enjoy. There are many opportunities
to find these creative individuals and to see their talents on display. How much more meaningful would it be to get a
whimsical Santa to bring out each year than Alexa or Siri or some other hi-tech item that will be obsolete by the first
of the year. And, by shopping local, we are feeding our own economy, supporting our local talent, and spreading the
gift of giving in a much more meaningful way.
There are shops along 6th Street that offer a truly different shopping experience too. From Karat Creations & Urban
Gypsies all the way down to Blessings and Bargains Thrift Shop that seems to acquire remarkable gently used treasures,
you can find stunningly beautiful and unique jewelry, scads of marvelous antiques, and so much more! There
are so many hidden treasures in Galveston County, we want to shine a light on them and reward all those entrepreneurial
spirits in our midst!
Over the next few weeks we will be featuring local artists who paint, design, bake, create wonderful and completely
unique items you can purchase for your loved ones that will say “This Christmas is special because you are a part of
my life so I am giving you a gift as special and as unique as you are.” If you have a special talent or you know of a
person with a special talent that we can feature here, please give us a call at: 409-943-4265 or drop us a line at info@
the postnewspaper.net.
