By Wayne Hinshaw
For the Salisbury Post

It’s that special time of the year again, when the shops in Gold Hill Village turn on the Christmas lights, keep the shops open longer, roll out the welcome mats and celebrate a three-day weekend called “Christmas in the Village” on Dec. 9-11.

Owner of the Back Home in Gold Hill shop, Sandy Hickman, states it best: “Shopping in the village is the exact opposite of the mall shopping experience. Here, we have lovely shops in the village where the merchants will give you a one-on-one experience. The atmosphere is completely not stressful. Gold Hill is unlike any other place I have ever been.”

The village shops are full of unique things.

“What we have (in the village) is of interest to people, if people only knew we were here,” adds Hickman.

The village offers shopping for pottery, baked goods, jewelry, a winery, antique shops, canned foods, home decor items, crafts and more. Hickman says, “It is all well worth people’s time to come and shop.”

Hickman is a former school teacher turned shop owner in the village. Growing up and living in Tennessee, Hickman visited with family in Mt. Pleasant, N.C. Upon retiring from teaching, she moved to Gold Hill and opened her shop. She called it “Back Home” since she feels like she is back home again. She owns her home in the village beside her shop. Talking about being a shop owner, she says, “It is a tough life to compete in a small shop. People do it because we like people, but it is a challenge and hard work. We really do appreciate people coming to our shops.” Her shop is open year round on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays.

All the village shops will be open this Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. On Sunday, the times are 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.  There will be light refreshments in the shops all three shopping days.

A special treat this year for “down home” food lovers will be caterer Glenn Mantooth, who is offering a fish fry on Friday evening and barbecue with all the fixings on Saturday in the village restaurant location. For Sunday lunch, Mantooth will cater with a “country lunch menu.”

“Mauney’s 1840 Store” has added a garden area that is accessed through the store that will offer sandwiches, chips and drinks on Saturday if you prefer to eat lighter.

Santa will be in the village Saturday and Sunday ready for photos. Hayrides to the barn in the park on Saturday will be from noon-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. and Santa will tell Christmas stories at 1 p.m. in the barn. On Sunday, there will be hayrides to the barn to see Santa between 2-4 p.m. There will also be marshmallow roastings at the barn Saturday and Sunday.

There will be bluegrass music for your listening pleasure at the E.H. Montgomery General Store with a jam session on Friday night and the Rocky Hill Bluegrass from Virginia on Saturday night from 7-9 p.m. On Sunday afternoon, Dec. 11, from 2-3 p.m., Danny Bowers will present, “A Banjo Christmas.”

Shops in the village are the Back Home in Gold Hill; Bakery, Baskets and Gifts; E.H. Montgomery General Store; Feelin’ Station Artisan Studio; Gold Hill File Store; Mauney’s 1840 Store;  Mauney’s Little House; Morgan Ridge Vineyards at the Village; River Pines Pottery; Southern Belles and Pearls; and a new shop called “New Shop.”