Santa Claus made a surprise visit to the Library’s Christmas Market.
PHILIPSBURG–The annual Christmas Market hosted by Philipsburg Jubilee Library hosted no fewer than 28 booth-holders. Past and present Christmas “merchants” came out with new original ideas and incentives in creating a greater market for 2017 and adding promises to return in 2018.
Individually decorated stands offered gift baskets and boxes, Christmas cards, bird feeders, homemade costumes, jewellery, bottle décor, fruitcakes, Ponche Crema cake and liqueurs, cashew cakes, peanuts, pistachio punch and Christmas Caribbean homemade eggnog.
The Christmas market was officially opened with a few words by Library Director Monique Alberts, followed by Christmas carols sung by Carlson Velasquez and John “Faith-Fefe” Hyman.
Children from Alexander’s Early Stimulation and Development Centre performed lyrical dances and sang a Christmas melody. DJ Tariq was on hand with music to make the event lively. Generation New Status STM drummers drummed and Santa Claus made his appearance. No one knew how he got there.
Tage Classical Dancers performing.
Rare Diamond teenage dance group with Sundial School students performed some of their dances and the Chinese community was represented by the Tage Classical Dancers.
Malaika Advani represented the Indian community by dancing Bollywood fusion.
The Psalm 100 singing duo closed off the event.
Various authors and local producers were represented with booths, including Dennis Timothy Dowling from Art House St. Maarten with his very first book The Truth about Monsters.
Loekie Morales of Beyond Writing Foundation presented her newest bilingual book Chella and the Weird Woman/Chella en het vreemde vrouwtje, and Atahlia Daye-Rogers from Write the Vision Production Foundation presented DVDs of the play Mothers Know Best.
The Library sold copies of its picture book S’Maatin Then and Now, which is currently still on sale at the Library.
The Library also presented is newest service: Libby, a user-friendly app, since Overdrive in 2013, which makes it possible to download E-books in less than a minute by following a few easy steps.
Christmas Market 2017 was meant for everyone and persons of all cultures. The day was filled with joy and Christmas cheer, a celebration of thanksgiving after the passing of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. All cultures came together in harmony.
The Library has a new post-Irma opening schedule. The Library is open Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm, and Saturdays from 10:00am to 1:00pm.
The Library thanked all persons who made the Library’s programmes throughout 2017 possible: from the book launches, book donations, presenters in the quarterly town-hall discussions under the theme name “The Power of Knowledge series,” its collaborative partners in SXM Reads Literacy programme, straight to the Christmas Market.
Library board, management and staff said they are looking forward to a new year in 2018 of promoting literacy and education throughout the community. Board, management and staff of the Library wished everyone a happy, safe and readable 2018.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/72339-cultures-come-together-at-library-christmas-market
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