Sturdivant Hall will make checking off Christmas lists a little easier this year, as they prepare to host their Artisans Christmas Fair Saturday, Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We have handmade goods made by area crafts people,” Patty DeBardeleben, the fair’s organizer said. “We try to keep a balance of different types of crafts. This is by invitation only for the crafts people so that we can control each category we have.”

DeBardeleben said they do this so the fair is not all potters or painters, but rather filled with a balanced variety of artisans.

Vendors at the Artisan Christmas Fair will be selling goods including: pottery, jewelry, paintings, metal crafts, carved wooden items, jams and jellies, baked goods, chair caning, hand-knitted scarves, hand-painted Christmas ornaments, candy, music boxes, birdhouses, candles, soaps, Christmas wreaths and more. Everything for sale is hand crafted.

“Everything is done by local people,” DeBardeleben said, and mentioned that the fair last year was a huge success.

“We had a big crowd and we are anticipating a similar event this time,” DeBardeleben said. “It was just a really fun thing last year, and people enjoyed seeing all the crafts. It was just a big success, and we hope this year’s will be equally good.”

The Christmas fair serves as a fundraiser for the Sturdivant Hall, but DeBardeleben said it’s more than that.

“A lot of our other motivations, other than to make some money is to get people to come down to Sturdivant and enjoy the house,” she said. “[People should come to the Artisans Christmas Fair] because it’s supporting Sturdivant Hall, making money for the house, and it’s also supporting local vendors.”

This year vendors will be set up both inside the house and in the new Robinson Building. And if visitors get hungry while shopping, Joyce Rylee’s catering service will be available.

“Box lunches will be available,” DeBardeleben said. “So if [visitors] want to just come and have lunch on the grounds or something, that would be fun.”