Open House is Here

You know when you are expecting company and you run around getting the house straightened...and you never really finish getting ready. Your company arrives and they don't know that you had planned to tidy the hall closet or make a fancier dessert. They think everything looks great and enjoy the visit. Well that's how the shop is all the time. We clean , rearrange, prepare for customers, but most often we run out of time and say "that's good for now" and start the day. With the Holiday Open House this process is grander, I seem to get lost in the vision for shop that has been brewing in my head for the last few months and achieving visual perfection in each room engulfs me. I know I have invested in all the right merchandise to hit the mark, it's executing the goal with a dead line that pushes me past my normal level of obsessing about the shop. In four short days the shop has been transformed into a fantasy holiday shopping experience. I work fifteen hour days while my personal life is put on standby, I find motivation from the completion of each small vignette and celebrate every small victory, ( like a string of lights working on this first plug-in ). The greatest motivator are visitors excited about the transformation and progress throughout the week. Each year we contemplate closing the shop for a few days to work without interruption, the loss of income is always the reason given for not doing so....but I don't know how I would do without the "ooo's and aah's" each day. Throughout the week some things just find their place among the ciaos without a plan or a thought, it really is the best part of the creative process.I ran around tonight and took more shots of the shop now that things to be getting into a rhythm. I love the lighting... The outside of the shop is all lit up, thanks to my friend Bryan. We were both thankful for the warm weather. When entering the shop you are greeted with this traditional tree. Baskets of "Paper White" bulbs and festive boxes surround the base of the tree. Mittens are hung over an arrangement of holiday gifts, the vintage sled puts everyone in the spirit of Christmas.

STROLLER SOLD Finding fun items from the past that take on new life as Christmas decor is so rewarding.

Every year this Santa greets people at the check out counter.

Setting up a gathering of finials is a nice substitution for a tree.

Sometimes the magic just happens.

The snow owls are hard to resist, making a perfect present.

A rustic homespun Christmas still includes lots of lights.

Non traditional colors pop and make for just plain fun. There is nothing as charming as vintage Christmas. I am proud to say that HiHo looks better this year for the holidays then ever and I look forward to sharing it with you.

Getting Ready

I just got home from a very long day. Tonight is the first evening I have gotten home before midnight in three nights. With HiHo's Holiday Open House only a day away( it begins Friday at noon and continues through the weekend) I have really been pushing myself. I always look to top the previous years displays and this year is know exception. On this past Monday at 6pm a team of fun loving ladies joined me, in my quest for the perfect HiHo Christmas. They listened to holiday music, wired trees with lights, hung ornaments, had a little wine with pizza and got me started towards Christmas 2008.

MY SON EVERETT WITH FRIEND,

DAWN FROM THE BARBER SHOP

MAGGIE HIDES BEHIND FALLING SNOW

ROBIN TAKES A MUCH DESERVED BREAK

CLAUDIA HELD HER OWN WITH TEENS AUBREY AND LEAHA

MIMI AND SUSAN POOLED THEIR CREATIVE ENERGIES

THE FIRST BROKEN ORNAMENT OF THE SEASON

THE MAIN ROOM IS THE ONLY ROOM COMPLETE AS OF TODAY

WE DID MAKE SURE WE HAD SOME TRADITIONAL COLORS

PENGUINS WAITING FOR A PIANO PLAYER

A CUPCAKE BUFFET

THE SINK BUBBLES OVER

A FUN VINTAGE ALUMINUM TREE HOLDS COURT IN THE BEDROOM

With the clock ticking and a few rooms still to decorate I post these pictures to entice you to visit ....but please give me till Friday I want you to see it at it's best! Because I know it's even better than last years holiday displays...my bed awaits, good night.

Whitney Reflects on HiHo Christmas

This past September I went away to college. Excited and anxious was I, and the family was happy to let me start this new chapter of my life. I was leaving many things behind when moving to Lawrenceville, New Jersey to attend Rider University. I was leaving behind my mother’s store, HiHo. Yes, I would be back, but I didn’t realize how much I would miss it until it wasn’t there all of the time.

With the holiday season sneaking up on us (yesterday I realized there were only 48 days until Christmas) I am regretful that I will not be able to share in the Christmas hype at HiHo too much. I will be home for a short break for Thanksgiving and then not back again until December 15th. Through the years my mother has shaped and encouraged my intense love (sometimes obsession) of Christmastime. Ask anyone who knows me well, and they will tell you that I’m the “Christmas Queen.” Since opening the store, HiHo is an essential part of Christmastime for me, and I’m sure for many local community members.

My first Christmastime memory at HiHo is from way back when we were located on North Front Street in New Paltz. Because of the sidewalks and the encouraged walk-around atmosphere (one day Gardiner will have sidewalks too!) my mom thought it was very necessary to have a speaker to play music into the street, especially at Christmastime. I can remember going to get my favorite drink from Starbucks and crossing in front of P&Gs to make my way back to the store. Hearing various Christmas music such as Charlie Brown’s Christmas or the classic Bing Crosby made it really Christmastime.

Now at the store in Gardiner, Christmas prep really gets me into the holiday spirit. Yes, I am regretfully missing out on most of it this year, and I am a little concerned about the front tree (it’s my job to string the lights exactly the way I want them because I do it best) but I have faith that the store will be more beautiful than ever. So mark your calendars and do me a favor, make a trip to HiHo the weekend of the fourteenth. The open house starts on Friday at noon. Enjoy some Christmas for me.

comforting hues

The time change has me enjoying the early evenings at the shop. Quiet time after busy days with time to anticipate the weeks of holiday shoppers to come. The lighting in the late afternoon gives the shop a cozy feeling and as the sun sets near closing...well... I find the hues comforting. Winter is nearly here, which means it's one of my favorite times of year.

A early Sunday morning trip to the flea market included a sun rise and plenty of crisp air. Friends joined me in the hunt for treasures, old ornaments, vintage fabrics and a load of other goodies found their way back to Gardiner with us. The visit to Stormville was a nice way to mark the end of the Fall season and the welcoming of the Winter season.

I was fascinated by Dancer on display.

Sneak a Peek!

The small new items for Christmas have been arriving everyday. Believe it or not in the middle of the day today another five boxes arrived,( that's right on a Saturday, go figure). The boxes just keep coming and I couldn't resist teasing all of you with some pictures of my favorites. It's the only time of year that we purchase in quantities of this kind.
I hope this starts to get you as excited about this years Christmas as we are, here at the store. Now you know why I couldn't resist the tease.

Friends at the Library

Our small town of Gardiner has been busy all week. After years of fundraising and endless debate our towns new library had it's grand opening... today as a matter of fact. I was lucky enough to spend time with community members earlier in the week. I'm sure the press will have lovely shots of plaque presentations and dignitaries, but my photos tell the story of the long week some friends spent in the small town I call home.

Oh sure, lots still to be done but all the work is a labor of love. Our community is so very proud of the new library and it is only a short distance from HiHo. Be sure to make visiting Gardiner's newest land mark a part of your next visit to HiHo.