The holidays are always special in Hudson County, and for more than half a decade in December, artists and merchants have crowded the rooms at Hoboken’s City Hall to provide shoppers with a variety of gifts at reasonable prices.
The Hoboken Holiday Crafts Market will be held on Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and it will feature more than 50 artisans and craftspeople. There will also be chefs and authors selling their wares.
DeShawn Marie, one of the managers at Burning Butterfly in Union City, sees the mile-square city’s crafts show as a unique event that brings people together.
"Here you can find unique items, and you get to know the artists in the area," Marie said. "This is a fantastic family event for the holidays."
Burning Butterfly specializes in scented and non-scented candles. This shopping season, Marie said people are feeling the spirit of the holidays. She will be on the first floor of City Hall showcasing her candles and other crafts.
Like Marie, Weehawken artist Anna Yglesias is looking forward to the crafts show. Since the event began, Yglesias has exhibited her paintings and other art works at City Hall receiving lots of positive feedback every year.
"The event is growing more and more every year. It’s good to see more artists are participating," Yglesias said. "The show helps preserve the culture in our area."
City Hall
Built in 1883, Hoboken’s City Hall was originally a public marketplace, and for one day, the majestic landmark will return to its roots.
Hoboken Director of Cultural Affairs Geri Fallo, the event’s organizer, said the market is a great alternative to holiday shopping at the mall.
"The mall gets so crazy this time of year," Fallo said. "What we are offering is a more relaxed environment where people can choose from a unique and eclectic selection of gift items."
She added that instead of the cookie-cutter products found at many stores in the malls, Hoboken residents will be able to buy distinctive gifts.
"There’s going to be a lot of usable and functional art," she said. "Items for that hard-to-buy person that you can never seem to find anything for."
The market will feature hand-painted silk scarves, pottery, earthenware tiles, jewelry, wooden hand-painted furniture, picture frames and mirrors, candles, candleholders, lamps and clocks, unusual metal work, holiday ornaments, floral arrangements, lamp shades made from dried flowers and beads, framed artist prints and photographs, mosaics, greeting cards, exotic salad dressings and more.
In addition to Marie and Yglesias, "Hoboken Eddie" will be on hand selling his BBQ sauces – Honolulu Hannah and Mean Green – which, according to the sauciere’s motto, "are like nobody’s business."
There will be silk and velvet patchwork quilts from Granny Annie, etched metal books by Nina Nusynowitz, ceramic Hoboken row house clocks by Maureen White; vintage china mosaic mirrors, frames and furniture by Kathy Grady, and herb dip mixes by Mimi’s by the Sea.
For the first time ever, in addition to City Hall, a second location has been selected to accommodate all of the extra crafts people who want to participate in the market. The Shannon Lounge (106 First St.) directly across the street from City Hall will also have artisans selling their goods.
Fallo said that she is very happy that the Shannon will be used as a location. "There are many times where the wife drags the husband along to do some shopping," she said. "This way, he doesn’t have to get bored. He can watch the game and have a pint while the wife does the shopping. It’s a win-win situation for everyone."
Local writers
Also at the Shannon, the city has joined forces with The Friends of the Library, who will be sponsoring the Authors and Illustrators Book Sale and Signing. For the fourth year in a row, the signing will bring Hoboken’s brightest and best-known book illustrators and writers together, offering their works for sale.
Scheduled to appear are Ona Gilbert (Starfish Summer), Al Sullivan, (Everyday People), Dawn Raffel (Carrying the Body), Jeff Somers (The Inner Swine, Lifers), Gonca Esendemir (Flying With Broken Wings A Poetic Journey), Jack Silbert (The Christmas Aliens), Paul Paradise (Trademark Counterfeiting), Santiago Cohen (The Fifth Name), Phil & Jan Huling (Puss in Cowboy Boots), Jane Isenberg (The Bel Barrett Mystery Series), Barry McNamera (Keys to Dealing with Bullies), Ilise Benun (Self Promotion Online), Joachim Horvitz (The Big Book of Jewish Baseball), Iseult Devlin (Winter Sports: A Woman’s Guide), and Francis McCall & Patricia Keeler (A Huge Hog is a Big Pig).
The Hoboken Holiday Crafts Market will be held Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at City Hall at 94 Washington St. and the Shannon Lounge at 106 First St. For more information call (201) 420-2207. q