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Christmas Boutique Handmade In Oakhurst

OAKHURST – One small church can make a very big difference. Just ask anyone affiliated with Christ Church Women, who are “delighted to announce” their 12th Annual Christmas Boutique.

The festive event is set for Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Evergreen Conference Center Oakhurst (ECCO).

Lunch will be offered by ECCO between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The presale price for lunch is $6 (at the door it’s $7.50) for a pasta and salad bar meal. All are welcome but seating is limited.

There is no charge to enter the venue.

“We are a very small congregation, but we work all year to offer this one-day event,” says Christ Church Anglican parishioner Linda Aube. “Last year we earned $7,000 that we put back into nonprofits in need, such as Manna House, Boys & Girls Club, Boy Scouts, Oakhurst Senior Center and Toys for Tots.”

Among the many treasures one may find are “exquisitely handcrafted wooden items, including Nativity sets, wine boxes hand painted by a local artist, birdhouses and trivets with shimmering glass tiles, knitted items, Christmas décor and gobs of exciting gifts and food items,” Linda says. The optional raffle component of the day is said to feature a hand-carved Noah’s Ark complete with two-by-two animals.

Parishioner Diane Van Deursen explained that a group of about 15 ladies work in the church basement every Tuesday, all year long, to prepare for this holiday extravaganza. “We have more fun getting ready than almost anything else!” she jokes.

Diane calls the talented volunteers she leads her “Christmas Engineers.” Among the many feats of genius these engineers pull off is the bake sale part of the Boutique, which includes super-fresh variety packages of homemade cookies. Diane explains the cookies are so fresh they can go right in the freezer and later be defrosted for Christmas. The homemade variety packs include two each of about eight different kids,

Among the many delicious products for sale besides cookies are lemon curd, preserves, bread and butter pickles, homemade breads, lovingly prepared snack items and so much more it’s nearly impossible to describe.

Lunch will be served upstairs; the two downstairs rooms at ECCO are full to the brim with Boutique merchandise. Diane says the happy chatter of busy shoppers and artisans creates a din that requires no background holiday tunes.

“You wouldn’t be able to hear the music, it’s so noisy with all the people having fun!”

Some of the local artists will be on site at the Boutique that day. “We’ll have painting and my husband will be there with his scroll saw,” says Diane. Much to the delight of children watching, he transforms small, thin pieces of pine almost magically into different critters, including some of those from Noah’s Ark. Children can pick out their favorite animals.

All of the items for sale at the Christ Church Christmas Boutique are handcrafted in Oakhurst California. That’s really something to get merry about!

For more information and to reserve lunch tickets call Diane Van Duersen at (559) 877-6401

Christ Church Oakhurst

Evergreen Conference Center Oakhurst

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