Lögberg-Heimskringla - 21.10.2005, Page 7

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 21. október 2005 • 7
Restoring Fensala Hall. Left: Ken Sveinson sanding the original hardwood floor; right Marie Sveinson and Donna Nelson painting the trim outside.
Christmas in Markerville:
a growing tradition
Cookie Walk organizer Bernice Andersen and shopper Walter
Sopher at 2004 Cookie Walk Fensala Fundraiser.
Linda Bjarnason
In the mid-1980s, Sandee
and Bill Birse of Marker-
ville, AB began operating
a small gift shop called The
Butterchurn. Before this, Bill
had a company called Timber-
land Toys, where he made and
sold wooden toys for a living.
Together Sandee and Bill pro-
vided an interesting stop for
the locals and tourists where
they could purchase unique gift
items.
Around the time, Marie
Sveinson, also of Markerville,
was teaching kindergarten. Ma-
rie thought it would be exciting
for her students to visit the shop
so they could see where Santa
got his wooden toys from. The
Birses agreed, and to make it
more interesting, they dressed
up like elves. Needless to say,
the children were thrilled and
a new tradition began. Every
year, just before Christmas,
Marie would bring her class and
the Birses would have an open
house with the “elves” again.
When Marie retired from
teaching, she opened a gift
shop in the historic Marker-
ville Creamery called Cream-
ery Gallery and Gifts. Marie
had already made a name for
herself in the community as an
artist, and here she was able to
display and sell her paintings,
along with other items that her
shop carried.
Around 1987, Marie and
the Birses decided to have a
pre-Christmas sale at their two
gift shops — Marie selling her
artwork and the Birses selling
their wooden toys. The ladies
baked up goodies to serve po-
tential customers, and family
members took tums manning
the coffee pots. They were
amazed at the number of peo-
ple who showed up for that
first sale, and at the number
who asked if they were doing it
again next year. Thus, “Christ-
mas in Markerville” was bom.
As Sandee says, “Things
have a way of growing — and
Christmas in Markerville cer-
tainly did!” Craftspeople from
miles around began asking if
they could join the sale. Ma-
rie and Sandee wanted to keep
it to local artisans as much as
possible, and also try not to du-
plicate items for sale. Fensala
Hall was soon recruited to offer
the extra space and the event
became even more popular.
Before long, “it became
“the Christmas show to see,”
says Sandee. As in the early
days, they always had some-
thing special for the kids, such
as guessing the number of jelly
beans in the jar, face-painting,
hayrides and the always popular
“visit with Santa’s elves.” En-
tertainment for adults included
roving carollers, a barbershop
quartet, a wind instrumental
quartet and others. Each art-
ist was always asked to donate
something for a door prize and
draws were made at the end of
each show.
Eventually, caterers were
hired to accommodate all the
hungry and thirsty shoppers.
Admission was never charged
but a donation to the food bank
was requested. Four years ago,
a “Cookie Walk” in the Cream-
ery was added. For $5 you can
buy a box and fill it with a va-
riety of homemade cookies that
you select. Cookie bakers, from
all around Markerville, donate
their time and ingredients to
make hundreds of dozens of
cookies for the sale every year.
This booth is operated by the
Stephansson G. Stephansson
Society and all of the proceeds
go towards the restóration of
Fensala Hall.
“As you can see,” says
Sandee, ‘“Christmas in Marker-
ville’ had humble beginnings
with just Marie, Bill and 1 in-
viting family, friends and the
public to a simple open house.
Marie no longer has a shop at
The Creamery and The Butter-
churn is no longer in operation.
But ‘Christmas in Markerville’
lives on.”
The two-day show has
grown to four days and is al-
ways held during the first
weekend in November, from
Thursday to Sunday. Today
the organization of this huge
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event is handled mostly by the
Creamery Director Kathleen
Raines.
* * *
As a footnote, I would like
to add that my husband Lorne
and I have attended “Christmas
in Markerville” since the early
1990s. We guarantee it is well
worth the drive and that you’ll
be hooked, as we were, after
your first visit!

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