Der Belsnickel Craft Show In Boyertown, Coming Soon

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 2014 Show will be held
November 28 and 29, 2014
at the Boyertown Senior High School
The hours are:
11:00 AM-6:00 PM (Friday)
10:00 AM-4:00 PM (Saturday)
$5.00 Admission
No charge for children 12
and under.

 

Belsnickel website: http://www.boyertownhistory.org/craftshow.html

Strong ‘Turnout’ Expected For Cyber Monday

As interest in Black Friday shopping wanes among consumers, Cyber Monday is still expected to attract holiday deal hunters.

If Black Friday was too busy or too cold, shopping from home is a option being embraced by more people every year.

Anthony Liuzzo, Ph.D., professor of business and economics at Wilkes University, said even while holiday shopping tends to be blending together and retailers and e-tailers try to capture shoppers earlier, Cyber Monday will continue as a event – albeit a virtual one.

“Cyber Monday will hold up,” he said. “When people get back the office on Monday and get to their computers, they will be shopping.”

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/strong-turnout-expected-for-cyber-monday-1.1593893

Many Shoppers Say No To Buying On Thanksgiving Day

You have to wonder what Norman Rockwell’s interpretation of Thanksgiving would be today. His classic 1943 Thanksgiving painting,“Freedom from Want,” which shows Ma placing a beautifully browned turkey down for Pa to carve, family members eagerly leaning in over the dinner table and grinning at one another, doesn’t seem complete anymore.

There are no digital devices to be seen, the family roles might be a little outdated and, of course, there isn’t an inset panel showing a son or a daughter stocking shelves or working the checkout line at Best Buy or The Gap, both of which are open on Thanksgiving Day this year.

In competition for your holiday spending dollars, retailers have pushed what has been known as Black Friday well into the day before — that is, Thanksgiving Day. Some find it an affront to Thanksgiving traditions. For others, it threatens what have become Black Friday family traditions, too.

Becka Pankowski, 42, of Fountain, Colo., is quitting her long-held Black Friday tradition altogether, saying she’s opposed to the Thanksgiving openings.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/lifestyle/20131125/many-shoppers-say-no-to-buying-on-thanksgiving-day

Families Flock To Downtown Pittsburgh For Annual Light Up Night Festivities

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Allegheny County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They filtered into the city, slowly at first, late on Friday afternoon, some pushing strollers, others holding hands and huddling under umbrellas.

They were determined to celebrate Pittsburgh’s annual Light Up Night.

Before nightfall, the rain stopped, the crowds swelled and Pittsburgh did not disappoint, putting on a show that began with the lighting of eight Christmas trees across Downtown and ending with a fireworks spectacular.

The holiday kickoff got under way early in the afternoon at the courthouse, where Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald lit LED lights installed at the top of the 325-foot tower. A crowd gathered at the corner of Grant Street and Forbes Avenue at noon to watch the tower shine red and green for the first time in its 125-year history.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/5110417-74/christmas-downtown-anna#ixzz2lU4sOBiA
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The Secret Studio Returns To ArtFusion 19464 For A Third Year

POTTSTOWN, PA – Looking for a way to make holiday gift shopping easier for your children?  Then be sure to check out VanGogh’s Secret Studio, a fun opportunity for kids 12 and under to shop for special gifts for family and friends.  The studio is fully stocked with goodies for everyone on their lists, from relatives to teachers and coaches.

All items are handcrafted and range in price from $1 to $5.  The Workshop will be open Saturday, December 15 from 10am to 3pm and Sunday, December 16 from 12-3pm at the ArtFusion building, 254 E. High St.

ArtFusion recommends children come with a list and a budget.  Parents can download a simple form from the ArtFusion website: www.artfusion19464.org.  The ArtFusion elves will help the children select gifts and stay within their budget.  Shoppers will even get their gifts wrapped for free! Parents must remain in the gallery while their children shop.  The Studio is a fundraiser for the non-profit ArtFusion 19464.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown.  The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages.  The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence.  ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists.  The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm.  The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

Vignettes Of Black Friday

With promotions, discounts and doorbusters already well under way on Thanksgiving Day itself, many big-box retailers are making Black Friday stretch longer than ever.  The Lede is checking out the mood of American consumers in occasional vignettes Thursday and Friday as the economically critical holiday shopping season kicks off.

Shoppers waiting outside Sam’s Club in Eagan, Minn., for Friday’s 7 a.m. opening clung to free Starbuck’s Holiday Blend coffee as they endured freezing temperatures and biting winds and collected brightly colored vouchers for laptops and big-screen TVs.

The biggest draw: a 96-cent Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone.  Once inside, they also beelined for tickets for the 63 Samsungs in stock, which sold out shortly after the store opened.  Customers could make an appointment for later in the day or another day to purchase the phone, choosing from three carriers, Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint.

“O.K., this is my last blue for Sprint,” an employee called out at 7:08 a.m.

Read more:  http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/22/coverage-of-black-friday/?hp

Small Business Cash Mob Scheduled For Downtown Pottstown

The Pottstown Buy Local Committee invites you to kick-off your LOCAL holiday shopping by joining us for

A POTTSTOWN CASH MOB – Hometown Holiday Style

It’s the perfect time of year to re-establish your dedication to the Pottstown community by embracing the importance of shopping locally FIRST whenever possible!Pottstown has some great small businesses that are striving to become established and/or continue to grow, but they cannot do it without us – their neighbors and their friends!

To participate in this Cash Mob, please visit the PDIDA office located at 17 N. Hanover Street (Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority) at the beginning of your shopping (any time from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm) to receive your “Shop Local” cash mob sticker, a map of the Downtown Pottstown Shopping District and detailed instructions on how to play Buy Local’s “Where In The World is Captain Buy Local and Small Biz” game while you shop throughout downtown Pottstown! (There will be prizes!!) When you are finished with your cash mob shopping, please return your game entry with the approximate amount of money spent by you and your family during the Cash Mob to either the PDIDA office or Grumpy’s – 137 East High Street, Pottstown, PA.

*Special offers and holiday treats will be offered to Cash Mob participants throughout the day by various merchants.

**Captain Buy Local and his trusty sidekick Small Biz will be popping in throughout the day to check in on progress of the holiday Cash Mob!!

For more details on holiday events offered in the Downtown Pottstown Shopping District, including the very cool Hometown Holiday Raffle, please visit:www.facebook.com/pdida.pottstown

PS – SPREAD THE WORD!! The Pottstown Buy Local Committee encourages you to invite all of your local friends and family to join in on the “cash mob” fun in Pottstown on Small Business Saturday, November 24, 2012!

28th Annual Pennsylvania Christmas Craft and Gift Show Starts December 1st!

If you want to shop till you drop then look no further than the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.  The 28th Annual Pennsylvania Christmas Craft and Gift Show has HUNDREDS of vendors with merchandise for every taste and budget!

In addition to shopping, there is food, entertainment, a 120-foot train display, gingerbread house building and visits with Santa for the kids!

OMG you say!  Tell me more!

WHEN: 10am – 8pm Dec. 1 & Dec. 2  

9am – 8pm Dec. 3  

10am – 5pm Dec. 4

WHERE: Farm Show Complex, 2300 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg

COST: $7, $6 seniors

INFO: (717) 233-5100 or www.pachristmasshow.com

Philadelphia Region Shoppers More Optomistic About Economy

A recent survey of people in the Metropolitan Philadelphia Region, which includes southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware shows that people feel the economy is slowly recovering and 48% plan to spend a little more this year at Christmas.  People are cautiously optimistic but still have underlying concerns about their jobs and financial security.

Most likely holiday sales will be flat.  The good news is, things are not expected to continue declining and a few stores like WalMart and Kohl’s posted good third quarter profits.

About 50% of the people surveyed said they feel the economy will improve in 2010, which is up from 27% who felt the economy would improve this year.

Spending on non-gift items is expected to increase as people take advantage of holiday sales to update their wardrobe, for example, after putting their personal spending on hold.  Personally I fall into this category.  I will probably spend the normal amount on Christmas this year or less if I can take advantage of good sales.