A Present or Being Present?

I do love a good craft fair, but it is very rare that I have a chance to go to them. Or, should I say, it is very rare that I make the time to go to them. I have a friend that is selling her jewelry at a craft fair tomorrow, and she invited me to tag along. I helped her out with a craft fair a couple of weeks ago, and I had a great time, so I am psyched that I’ll be doing this again.

There is something really interesting about the energy at craft fairs. Every shopper in the room is looking for something well-crafted and unique, but it also has to be a bargain. Like going to yard sales, part of the fun is the thrill of the hunt. Snagging the perfect item is tricky, but when you find a deal, it’s like the whole Universe is in alignment. Okay, maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean. There is definitely an certain aura that surrounds shoppers when they are on a mission!

Of course, there is also an aura around the merchants. The merchants have to strike the right balance of being friendly and helpful while still remaining in the background. Shoppers don’t react well to super-friendly chit-chat, because it makes them wonder why the person is overcompensating by being so fake. However, if you seem disinterested in the shoppers, then it will reflect poorly on your craft – either you’re too good to be there or you don’t have your heart in your craft. I don’t claim to be any kind of expert on this, but I’ve noticed both the extremes at craft fairs, and it only results in low interest and low sales, not the kind of reception you want as a merchant.

I feel bad when I see people at craft fairs that torture themselves over their decisions, as if the decision was going to make-or-break the gift giving experience. Would she like the red or blue scarf? Will she like the turquoise or the malachite necklace? I mean, I can understand that the shopper wants to buy the perfect gift, but in the end isn’t it ust all about the act of exchanging, not the item itself. I’ve received some mighty bad gifts over the years, and I have also given gifts that have been a real flop! However, I try not to let that get to me. Why burden yourself over this unspoken holiday pressure?

I am the kind of person that would rather have a memorable experience that receive an object as a gift. Sure, those mittens are practical and lovely, but I would much rather go for a twilight walk and see the snow sparkle in the moonlight. Experiences are much more memorable! I’d rather share a hot cup of tea and a scone with a friend or a loved one while resting on a park bench on my favorite hiking trail then get a gift card any day!

But there will always be those people in our lives that treat the holidays like one long check list. The sooner they cross your name off the list, the sooner they can move on. There is no art or beauty to that kind of attitude. I hope that I never see the holidays like that! I don’t want to see my loved ones names on a list with a dollar amount next to them. I want to see a photo album full of the fun times I’ve shared with them.  I want to do my best to make them feel like I wanted to be with them and that our shared time was meaningful. I want to be present in their life year-round, not just a visitor bearing a gift on Christmas and their birthday. Of course, this needs to be a two-way street. Both people need to agree that it is not about a present, but being present, otherwise there will be hard feelings….

Obviously, I have wondered away from the topic of craft fairs and on to other issues that have been burrowing around in head lately. I’m not sure if any of what I have said has made any sense, but somewhere in there I’ve probably made a point, whatever that may be

I am looking forward to the craft fair crowd tomorrow, even if it is just to soak up the excited energy of the thrill of the shopping hunt