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ALTON – Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, the oldest Catholic parish in Alton, kicked off the holiday season with two pivotal events this Saturday.
Those literally “pining” to put up a fresh Christmas trees now have the chance to check out the live tree lot, located across from the church. Trees range in size from around 3-feet to a towering 11-feet high.
Across the street at Alumni Hall, the annual Old Cathedral Christmas Bazaar, which took place from 9 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday, held dozens of vendors so parishioners and guests from around the area could get a head start on their holiday shopping or simply find something unique for their loved ones.
Old Cathedral Christmas Bazaar chairwoman Abby Bagwill enjoys seeing everyone that comes out to shop and all the work that goes into making the day a success.
“We have a lot of vendors of all sorts,” she said. “My favorite part of the Bazaar is the joy of people getting ready and being filled with Christmas spirit.”
While guests shopped for gifts, those with a sweet tooth could make purchases from the bake sale, hosted by the Altar and Rosary Society. Delicious treats, including cookies, gooey butter cakes, pies, brownies, fudge and more lined long tables.
Santa Claus himself made a visit to the Old Christmas Bazaar and children attending could tell them their Christmas wishes.
Tickets could be purchased for three separate raffles, including a basket raffle, 50/50 drawing and the prized $1,000 raffle.
Lunchtime shoppers had the opportunity to dine on sloppy joes, hotdogs and chips between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. while the dinner crowd could enjoy pulled pork, potato salad and coleslaw between 4 and 7 p.m. Kettle corn was also available for sale outside of the hall.
With several parishioners opting to view different masses throughout the year, the Bazaar is a great way for people to rekindle those great relationships, all while getting ready for the holiday season.
“It’s a lot of fun. Everyone gets to get together and catch up because sometimes, you don’t get to see them a lot,” she said.
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