Annual Village open house welcomes the holiday season

By Kara Chalmers

The merchants along Big Basin Way know what it takes to put people in the Christmas spirit-- they've been doing it for more than 20 years. They will hold Saratoga's annual Holiday Open House Nov. 26, the Friday night after Thanksgiving, according to tradition.

Most merchants will stay open later than usual and will offer cookies, candy, cider or punch in their shops to customers. The white lights on the trees, the Christmas music emanating from restaurants, carolers and Santa Claus will transform Saratoga's main thoroughfare to a paragon of small-town Christmas.

"People come to shop, have cookies and have fun," said open house organizer Donna Collins of Henrietta Hen's Country Store. "It gets them in the spirit of Christmas. They start thinking of family, friends and get-togethers."

Although the entertainment ends at 9 p.m., Collins said that some stores will stay open until 10:30 or 11. She added that people start arriving as early as 4 p.m. and that even in the rain, the street has always remained packed. "We want all the merchants to participate," she said. "This is an event we want to pass on and get better every year.

The Book-Go-Round on Oak Street, which will participate in the open house, will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. The shop will feature hundreds of "good as new" 1998-99 editions in fine condition for gift giving since they have been checked by the volunteers at the shop for cornered pages and writing, according to Pat Mahler, who works at the shop.

Also, Saratoga resident and emerald jeweler Ronald Ringsrud will present a slide show of emerald jewelry, mines and his travels in Colombia. The 15-minute presentations will occur every half-hour from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Francisco's Jewelers at 14460 Big Basin Way.

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