Meagan Romanchuk hangs handcrafted ornaments on a tree at the Wonkets booth at The Big X-Mas Trade Show at Exhibition Park. The ornaments and jewelry items at the booth are creations of Julie Kissick who uses the profits of her business to help fund the Streets Alive ministry. Herald photo by David Rossiter

Katie May
LETHBRIDGE HERALD
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From hot cider to fruit jellies to cozy knitted hats and tree ornaments, local handmade goodies got crowds into the Christmas spirit this weekend at Exhibition Park's big Christmas trade show.
The fair attracted more than 250 vendors, craftspeople and exhibitors from across the province to tout their wares in time for this season of giving. Hundreds of shoppers perused the booths, finding everything from scented candles to Angry Birds games to hand-carved wooden furniture.
Resident Manon Vander Heyden and her family made a beeline for a sweets table upon their arrival, sampling tiny candies. For them, it was all about the Christmas-is-coming atmosphere - complete with the appearance of Santa and Mrs. Claus.
"It's just about getting ready for Christmas. It's a good start," said Vander Heyden, who said she didn't dream of finishing her Christmas shopping all in one go at the trade show.
"I'm not really looking for Christmas presents. I'm looking for good ideas and goodies," she said, explaining it's more about the sense of camaraderie shoppers feel. "You always run into people that you know."
That was true for Leona Heppler, of Warner, who comes to the Christmas trade show every year. She's been known to spend all day there and come back with a gift for every person on her list.
"I have done that," she laughed, stopping by a stand offering intricate framed wood carvings in the shapes of animals, landscapes and even the characters from the movie "Twilight."
"I just love all the crafts. I'm a crafter myself."
And there's so much vendor variety, it's not a stretch of the imagination that one would spend hours browsing, checking out Christmas cooking demonstrations or taking a break with some kettle corn and a cup of hot chocolate.
"You just have to take your time. I just take my time and I'm not in a big hurry," Heppler said. Displays of Christmas decorations are her favourite.
"I like to look at them and see what they come up with. There's something different every year."
Jim Jamieson prides himself in his highly unique creations that comprise JJ Crafts - if you need a toilet paper holder constructed out of a horse bit, a wood-encrusted solar lamp or a hockey skate with a clock in it, he's got what you need.
The retired Lethbridge resident makes sure no two of his works are the same - from the cowboy boot strung with Christmas lights to wood-carved welcome signs.
"They're all different," he said, and as for his inspiration, "it just comes."
He and his wife Sharon sell a lot of the crafts at farmers' markets during the summer, but his work has been more popular than ever at the Christmas trade show.
"I just like doing it and besides, it keeps me out of her hair," he jokes of Sharon, taking in the trade show's pleasant holiday atmosphere.
"It's nice, because people like them and that's what I'm doing it for," he said.
A few tables down, Carol Fowler's award-winning popcorn and dog jewelery was flying off her Little Bear's Jewelery table and into the hands of pet lovers and snack lovers alike. The Raymond resident acknowledged the odd pairing of goods that she attributes to her selling success.
She started making dog jewelery, worn on collars or zippers or even as earrings, four and a half years ago, but she noticed it wasn't selling very well at local farmers' markets.
"It didn't go over as well as I thought it would, so I thought, 'well, why don't I start making the popcorn and selling it,'" she said. "So that's how I got started."
Her caramel corn with pecans, based on an old recipe from a cookbook, took home first prize at a recent Raymond summer fair.
"My popcorn, if somebody tastes it, it definitely sells itself."
Since then, she's been coming to the Christmas trade show, greeting shoppers she sometimes only sees once a year.
"I just really, really like the atmosphere," she said.