Walden residents could hear sleigh bells and smell pine from Wooster Grove’s teen center on Saturday, July 13 during the Walden Community Council’s annual Christmas in July, a vendor fair for holiday enthusiasts looking for early gifts and wintry refuge from the summer heat.

Between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the rec center hosted over a dozen vendors selling various holiday-themed merchandise; from vibrant wreaths and wood-carved decor to yarn dolls and 3D-printed figurines, the fair provided a little bit of everything to passerby. Throw in a few raffles and savory snacks and the council’s fair sparked the holiday spirit back into the community five months before the season would begin.

“I like it, it’s a good idea and a fair where people can get unique items. Now more than ever is the perfect time to get gifts, said Dawn Schick, a vendor for Ariel’s Collection who worked with her partner Melissa Wade to sell decorations.

“It’s really good, they have a very diverse selection of vendors here,” said Renae Turner, a vendor for Timber Transformations, who sold wooden decor with her partner Sean.