This holiday season, I went to The Ailsa Craig Holiday Extravaganza. It was a fun holiday event, hosted by the Ailsa Craig Village Association, that was taking place all throughout the shops in this small village.
Let me tell you all about it!
For this event, each participant was given a passport to fill in every time they visited a participating shop or vendor in the village.
There were 15 locations in total for the event. At each location, we would collect a stamp or signature from the owner(s) on our passport to prove we went there.
Once the passport was completely filled in, we handed it in to be entered in to win a prize. I'm not sure what the prize was, but we had so much fun exploring the village that it didn't matter.
Let's talk about some of the places we visited!
The Christmas Market
One of our first stops was the Christmas Market at the community center.
At the market, there were vendors selling holiday decor, holiday treats, and some great gift options. They also had a silent auction for a plethora of gifts and a chilli dinner.
By far the funniest thing I saw at the Christmas market was these holiday themed toilet roles. Each one had a different holiday-themed saying, some that were puns and some that were based on movies.
I also stumbled upon a vendor who was selling this adorable dog advent calendar filled with doggy biscuits. Isn't it such a cute way for your dog to enjoy the holidays with you?
The Library
At the local library they had free hot chocolate and had a few holiday crafts for participants.
While I was there, I made a little snowman buddy, who we named John Snow. He's made out of a white sock, some rice, buttons, a pom-pom, and a ribbon.
I made him without a face. I think he looks really cute that way, and everyone else kept saying so too, but mom disagreed. What do you think? Does he need a face?
Once he was frankensteined, he became the 4th member in our group on this village tour!
Nuance Osteopathy
Nuance Osteopathy definitely had the most going on since they had a draw to win a Christmas tree, a DIY bath bomb making activity where you could choose your own scent, as well as candy canes and a hot chocolate bar.
I had a lot of fun making a bath bomb. The girls who were helping us make them, gave us scented essential oils and some coconut oil to mix into this powder before packing it into a circular mold. They said it takes 2 days to cure. Can't wait to try mine!
The Auld Barn
The Auld Barn had some of the coolest pieces, from wooden board games to absolutely gorgeous wooden and resin serving trays. They also sold DIY wood working kits for children, that would make the perfect gift this holiday season, and had art work for sale displayed on the back wall.
Before stepping into the studio, they had the coziest lit fire-pit right out front. It was a very welcome break from all the adventuring we'd being doing in the chilly winter weather.
For nums, I remember the woodworking shop had cookies and hot apple cider. While chatting with the owner, he said most place were going to do hot chocolate, so they wanted to do apple cider. It seems like everyone else had the same idea as most places had apple cider over hot chocolate.
To stand out next year, the owner said they might do egg nog! Have you ever had egg nog before?
The Museum
The museum was such an interesting stop! We walked in, got our passport stamped, then waddled around the museum for a while, learning more about this little village.
In the entryway, they had an amazing old jukebox that still took quarters and actually played music!
We didn't have an change on us, but a kind man lent us a quarter. With the quarter, we played Snoopy's Christmas and all danced like children!
In the back of the museum, there was a table with a miniature replica of what the village looked like years ago.
It was fascinating to see which places have stood the test of time and which have been modernized.
They also had loads of memorabilia of years past such a medicine bottles, beauty tools, clothing, and so much more.
We didn't spend as much time there as I would've liked to, so I definitely need to make a trip back for a thorough walk through!
My family and I made some great memories together thanks to this event! We had so much fun getting to know the locals, participating in the holiday activities, and enjoying all the holiday treats.
I definitely recommend adding the holiday extravaganza to your calendar for next year and visiting this village if you get the chance!
If you do, have each person fill out a passport instead of sharing one like we did. You'll have a better chance at winning the mystery prize.
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