Colony Christmas makes holiday green in Palmer

PALMER — When most people think of Colony Christmas, they recall the popular annual Christmas tree lighting, fantastic fireworks display, the popular parade of lights and arrival of Santa by train.

Although Santa Claus brings plenty of holiday spirit to town, Colony Christmas also is a welcome boost to local businesses. Colony Christmas continues all day today in and around downtown Palmer.

“This is the one big weekend for the Valley when [businesses and crafters] get to be in one centralized area,” said John Douglass, president of the Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce.

More than 140 local crafters are participating this year, selling a variety of quality products, Douglass said. In fact, the popularity of Colony Christmas is so large that many vendors had to join a waiting list.

Elle Benedict and Lisa Lehrman-Bon are owners of Charmed by Alaska and lucky enough to secure a booth among other crafters in the Palmer Train Depot.

A business that specializes in a variety of handcrafted jewelry, beads and Alaska Native dolls and carvings, the owners spent the entirety of last summer producing items for the upcoming season, Benedict said. Not only are the items handcrafted, but the owners use natural materials, like fossil walrus ivory, purchased from Alaska Natives living on St. Lawrence Island.

When it comes to selling their wares at Colony Christmas, Benedict said the event provides a nice shot for the holidays.

“I’d say probably a fifth of the business we did last year came from this show,” Benedict said.

Although Colony Christmas provides a great venue for small vendors, Benedict said the main reason for participating is to help support the city in which she lives.

A few booths down from Charmed by Alaska, Mark Couch is surrounded by his handiwork.

As owner of Alaska Forge, Couch transforms an average piece of iron into unique displays of his blacksmithing talents. While many people visit a local hardware store to buy coat hooks, cabinet handles and toilet paper dispensers, Couch makes more rustic and unique options.

Without having a store as a base of operations, Couch said Colony Christmas provides an alternative to traditional marketing strategies.

“For us it is a good thing, because we make direct sales here and then we’re exposed to the public,” Couch said.

Not only is Colony Christmas beneficial for the established crafter, it’s also useful for people just getting started, he said. As one of the least expensive shows available, crafters can promote their products without taking a huge financial risk.

Along with crafters, storefront businesses also have an important relationship with the annual celebration.

“It’s a chance for the local businesses, not only to promote themselves but to give back to the community,” Douglass said.

In-Fu-sion Boutique is one of those businesses.

Located in the heart of downtown Palmer, the clothing store and coffee house experienced an exceptional day of sales on the first day of the holiday celebration Friday, said Ruth Villanueva, co-owner of the business.

Although Colony Christmas brought an influx of customers, Villanueva said the event provides a lot more than just good business. Overall, the best part is the sense of community created by all the time and money volunteered to make the event possible.

This year, 100 businesses sponsored the event and countless people volunteered, Douglass said.

Contact Chris Gillow at chris.gillow@frontiersman.com or 352-2284.