Christmas Fest features homemade gifts

ODESSA–The town community center was decorated with Christmas cheer for the Fest on Wednesday, Dec. 7.

A smell of Christmas cheer and the makings of hamburgers floated through the air.

The Odessa Junior Livestock 4-H Club hosted the event and held a hamburger booth.

Baked goods lined several tables and were decorated with sprinkles, such as Santa, snowmen and even school buses.

Vendor tables were decorated with red, white, and green and topped with handmade gift ideas for shoppers.

Morgan Lewis had her booth, Country Kids Creations, up for the event. She sells deer antlers, bath scrubs, bath bombs, and handmade soaps.

Lewis has been selling her creations for four years now.

"I like making people happy," Lewis said when asked what Christmas Fest meant to her.

Bonnie Campbell, a local vendor of three years, sold an array of books.

"Seeing new people and helping kids get new books is enjoyable," Campbell said.

Most of the vendors were locals this year, repeating from the fest last year.

Santa arrived on the fire truck to greet the young children eagerly waiting to meet him with a few adults in tow. Stan Dammel provided pictures of Santa.

The Elementary Chorus performed Christmas carols early in the day.

Other performers were Alicia Zeiler (flute), Cindy Smith, Clark Kaegele, Campbells and Pat Estes and Crab Creek Gospel.

Editor's note: As is Odessa tradition for a Christmas Fest article, fourth-grader and Odessa Junior Livestock member Simon King contributed to this article.