By NATE KING
Salina Post
The aroma of kettle corn, candles, and hand-crafted soaps filled the halls of the Washington East Elementary School Gym on Saturday, marking the start of the 43rd Santa's Gifts and Goodies.
The market, sponsored by the GFWC Modern Pioneers Study Club, attracted hundreds of shoppers eager to find that unique gift for someone special this holiday season.
The market featured regional vendors which included, Rada Cutlery, Pampered Chef, and Tupperware. There were numerous local vendors as well representing all parts of Washington County and beyond.
One of the vendors, candlemaker and Washington County resident Megan Hiesterman, began making candles four years ago.
"I used to get headaches from candles," Hiesterman said. "So I went down the rabbit hole, and I researched and figured out how to make natural soy candles that burn longer and cleaner. So now I don't have any more headaches from candles."
Hiesterman said her candles do not contain the carcinogen phthalate and nitro-musk chemicals commonly found in most candles.
Candles weren't the only items for sale that smelled good. Greenleaf artisan soapmaker, Marilin Laflen, uses all-natural ingredients to make her sought-after soaps and lotions. She has attended the Santa's Gifts and Goodies for the past ten years.
"If you can't read the name, you shouldn't be putting it on your body," Laflen said. "Most of my soaps are vegetable based."
Laflen said some of her more "masculine" scented soaps have beer as a base.
"It (the beer) just has so many great vitamins, nutrients and oils," Laflen said. "Amino acids in the beer help soothe irritation and vitamin B and other essential vitamins help moisturize the skin."
For holiday shoppers with a sweet tooth, rather than the desire to smell all of the festive fragrances, the kitchen of Linda Burton had just what shoppers needed. Burton, a resident of Haddam, said this is her 15th year coming to Santa's Gifts and Goodies.
"I started off by making half a dozen cookies," Burton said. "This year I got 75 dozen mixed cookies and 98 dozen sugar cookies."
That is 1,176 sugar cookies and 900 other assorted cookies.
"It takes me five days just to frost them," Burton said.
On top of the festive market taking place at the north end of the main street in Washington, the Lion's Club held a pancake feed at the Washington Christian Church. Cup of Joy Coffee was downtown providing visitors and residents with hot festive refreshments.