More Christmas Shops

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

I have been doing some of the Advent Calendars this year but since I am almost out of groups I decided to stick with those where no group is necessary. While I was at a region I took a good look around at some and saw the nice arrangement of items they had in Kiosks or all over the property. I picked some that had really nice or unusual décor for sale and am passing the along to you in case you are a late shopper or are looking for that special gift.

“Santa Claus dropped his presents through the Christmas Wonderland event. There are free gifts in the large calendar and EXCLUSIVE very cheap Christmas outfits in front of it. Don’t miss them and grab them all – Date: Dec 1 to Dec 24 – Contact Person: Rani Rosenhauch “

Rani said it well. Santa has left some great items all over the region. There are many boxes in front of the calendar for sale really low prices! Then take a walk around to see the nice items for sale at the stands.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Forgotten%20Mountains/21/118/27

LouChara sells Furniture and decorations and has weekend sales right at the entrance . Her furniture is divided in to the various types in each building there which makes it easier to shop. The Christmas area had terrific items on display.

I really enjoyed looking at the variety of styles and ended up buying one new holiday bench.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Bay/137/171/4001

Another wonderful furniture venue with a calendar is C.M.D. Christmas store. All sorts of Christmas décor is scattered over the region. 

 

What caught my eye was a cute little fairy pushing huge snowballs. Maybe it is not unique but I have never seen it before. There is another one throwing snowballs too.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Thee%20Enchanted%20Forest/203/183/21

 

One more super area to visit for those last minute decorations inside or out is Christmas Delights. Again this is a marvelous place filled with sweet décor. I am happy to see a nice selection of flat décor that is only one prim and looks great . It is good if you need to watch your prim count.

Santa’s Closet is a whole wall filled with all sorts of Christmas clothing with a choice of elegant or cute.There is also a rezz area for greeter bots , AI bots and animesh bots so you can try them out before buying. Stop over there to check them out. RAGDOLL/183/193/1801

I hope you are finished shopping now and can begin enjoying all the winter fun areas that I will be writing about for you.

Gemma Cleanslate

 

Snuggle Christmas Store

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

When I go to another favorite Christmas shopping site I plan on spending time. I go there after Dench because I love the name... Snuggle.

 

The Christmas shopping area is set on several regions. Walking to check out all the outside décor takes a while. There are so many items I would love to put on my property but no room sadly! It is good that there is a teleport board showing all the different types of décor areas to help the shoppers.

The Santa barn has all kinds of Santas. Some are climbing, some collapsed, some sitting or walking about ready to grace your region or home. There are cute skaters if you have a pond. Of course you can find trees and more.

I love the gift shop. Racks of cards for relatives, sweethearts, friends and more line the wall.

I love the gift shop. Racks of cards for relatives, sweethearts, friends and more line the wall. There are pop up cards that are amazing and directions for passing them along. Great gift boxes are available for you to fill with your gifts. I fell in love with the hanging balls that spin slowly .

Of course I left my wallet at home because the gift shop has the most gorgeous snowglobes and I am addicted!! Many are transfer or copy so you can choose. They make wonderful gifts!

Have fun while you are there !

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Snuggles%20Holidays/25/160/27

Gemma Cleanslate

 

Design

Dench Christmas Shop

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

As usual one of my first shopping stops for Christmas is Dench Christmas shop. Not only can one get the greatest freebies and group gifts and Advent Calendar but Amanda Dench always has such lovely gifts. Her decorations are charming and low priced.

The outside décor will enhance a region or a front yard. If you want a Santa wandering around the region look here. Her Santas range from small to huge ! They skate , roam ,wave and ride bikes and some say Merry Christmas. Watch out for the bucking reindeer! Look all around! Trees and trucks to carry them dot the snow with cute winter creatures, and snowmen scattered about. One item I wanted but have no place to put it is a gorgeous fountain with a hud that rezzes partridge, sparrow , snowdrop flowers and other cute décor as you wish. I could not believe the low price!

I love going in and up the stairs to check the freebies and the bargains in the corner . There is always something I missed before and can grab now . Amanda has such great gifts every month and at holidays for group members. This year there are 5L specials also . Check out the walls .

If you love companion dancers with super huds check them out . Just sit on each to try them and see how you look. When I bring one to a party there are always compliments on how cute they are. The huds have a huge choice of dances to fit any music being played . Sometimes there is one for a group gift also. I will be checking out many of the Christmas markets going on starting this weekend. I took a peek at some that were already under construction but showed lots of promise for holiday shopping and this year in SL. It is always a wonderful experience and many locations have all kinds of winter sports and photo opportunities.

This is the Christmas store itself http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rookery/241/21/21

Gemma Cleanslate

Tiny Carolers and North Pole Village

 

 By Gemma Cleanslate

Over the weekend I visited a few parties and events that were so Christmasy and then went looking for Santa. I stopped over at Benny's Christmas Trees and More where the Raglan carolers were doing a gesture show of their favorite music. Here is one tune.

[12:46] Raglan Shire Carolers:
~*~ You Better Watch Out, ~*~
~*~ You Better Not Cry,~*~
~*~ You Better Not Pout, I'm Telling You Why, ~*~
~*~ Santa PAWS Is Coming,~*~
~*~ Santa PAWS is Coming To Towwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnn,
~*~ SANTA PAWS IS COMING TO TOWN! ~*~

They had many more! Of course they finished with the infamous river dance everyone loves go see.

I also went over to a skating and dancing party at Ipperwich where dj Scott was spinning tunes for everyone! The whole family was there and having a great time along with residents and friends of Mount Campion. It will be a busy few weeks coming for him!

And then I made a long stop at one of my favorite places to visit every Christmas, “Christmas at North Pole Village & Santa's Workshop – Winter”. I am glad it is always there. The walls of ice and snow carve a path down the hill, past the Crystal Ice Caves to the door of the village where Santa, Mrs santa and and his 56 elves and 8 reindeer live and work.

Once you open the door to the little town you are in a land of enchantment. The town square holds tiny buildings filled with working elves. There are always little critters and elves skating and hanging out.
I always stop in at the Newspaper to say hi to those elves. They are easy to recognized with their little human faces. The post office is always busy at this time of year, loaded with carts of letters arriving by the minute.

The younger elves are busy learning about their future jobs in the school. It is a pleasure to see them. The longest visit is to the castle where elves are busy wrapping gifts to go out on the sleigh. In the kitchen others are making cookies and gingerbread. Mrs Claus is overseeing the work.

Upstairs is the dormitory where those off duty rest and sleep. A visit to Santa’s nearby bedroom is great fun. He is rarely there so I jump on his bed.

 

I know where to find him. Outside the Castle I walk down the icy path to the reindeer barn. Here I find him working with the reindeer for the big night when he takes off to fly through the air to you. I always help him take off for a practice run. You can do that too when you visit. Before you leave drop by the bakery and have some hot coffee with the elves there. They are always happy to see visitors.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Porvoo/217/133/128

Gemma Cleanslate

Christmas Locations, Part Four

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

A visit to Tayren’s Holiday.

Tayren has such a marvelous region at wintertime. Her large shop is full of wonderful period clothing for both women and men.. I own several of her outfits from years back. It is a great place to get outfits for role play in medieval settings. Once outside again check out the little sheds in which you will find wonderful holiday items she also makes.

Then head up to the top of the hill. Here a little village of shops invites you to go in. Do that! In many of the shops you are going to find boxes of freebies under the trees. Santa is watching you grab those boxes and smiling. In one shop I sat to visit with some elves who were supposed to be working but I think were having a coffee break.

Wander farther down the hill and into the woods and find yourself entranced. Fairies live here in tiny homes in the trees and rocks, each one individual in design. They are sweet and delicate and friendly. It all adds to the season in the snow. Take your horse for a ride in the snow. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wind%20Struck/141/217/29

I get a real kick out of visiting Never You Mind. I have not met the owner, Harley (Harleywan Haggwood), but his name really makes me think he would have to be the creator of the cute creatures he makes. They are funny and endearing. One of the reasons I think I have never met him is that he is an Aussie so rarely the time zones meet. His creatures are everywhere singing and smiling as you arrive

He also makes things that fly and other things to ride on water or land. He has very unique Christmas scenes too, like the cake cart above. Take a walk all around to see the quaint buildings, trees and all Harley has to offer for your regions and your fun travels. If you join the group you will get some great little critters as gifts.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bundaberg/181/197/23

I also went shopping in Maine, Portland Maine SL that is. It is the first time I have been shopping here and I loved it. It is so quaint. I have a special fondness for Maine as I like to visit it every spring before the crowds arrive. The entrance is near a New England Church with a few homes and a post office near by. The little cabins of many styles are showplaces for so much nice décor for sale. I saw more beautiful snow globes but controlled myself. It is fun just to walk in the falling snow and peak inside each one to see what they offer. There is outside and inside décor all over . I saw some furry Santas and other characters as furries too. How about a box of 22 grinches ! An Advent calendar is at the entrance too.

Santa was there with a whole line of children waiting to tell him what they want. There are many cute comical scenes to be found here for the fun loving people to put outside their homes or on an island or in a club. Cute little buildings are for sale too at great prices. Take a tour and take a spin on the large skating pond. I also found presents in various places so look for them too.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Portland%20Maine/180/177/10

The famous Macy’s Christmas Parade is running now on tour at Unincorporated Oregon. 70 Floats, many interactive are making their way down the street. They are so sweet. It is a great place to take photos and take family and friends for fun riding along the parade route.

Also see the teleport to take you up to the lovely little ice skating pond. It is another great place for a snowball fight! There is a bill board near the beginning of the parade route where you can accept the experience. Santa is up there too. Look for the sleds for down hill racing. ]Thanks to Franny DJ and the owners and managers of Oregon for hosting the parade this year. It will be running every day with its own music. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Enchanted%20Isles/23/63/23

 

Gemma Cleanslate

 

Christmas Shopping at Dench Designs and Snuggles Holidays

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

It is that time again! Christmas shopping time. No sooner did the orange and black disappear than out came the green and red at and bright lights many shops . One of my very favorites opened the Christmas shop the very next day after Halloween and I was so happy to see it.

Amanda Dench has such a fun Christmas shopping area I love getting there to look at everything and pick up all the freebies offered to members of her group and check out the bargain corner where past goodies are offered for only 5 or 10L. You find all these gifts and items on the second floor, always my first destination.

Outside the Christmas store at Dench Designs are charming little winter scenes that fit any parcel or region. I love to see Santa riding a bike in the snow. There is a giant Santa dancing at the door of the shop.

Inside are the wonderful fireplaces, trees, and so many fun animesh dancers. Jump on a dancer and see how you look with that partner for dancing! There are wonderful new full avatars this year too and wearable dancers from penguins to Santa himself. They are great fun to bring to a party. I had to buy one. I always say I am not going to buy things while doing these articles but guess what. The prices are right too!! And, if you join the group there is a 50% discount on many items. 

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rookery/21/36

Another favorite place to visit because it is so organized so you can find your favorite types of décor easily is at Snuggles Holidays, The Christmas at Snuggles . I also love the name of the regions. Gnomes, trees, animals and so much more.

Inside the huge shop there are décorations for your home interior and more. Looking for Christmas cards? There is a generous collection of various cards for loved ones, family and friends.

If you have a friend who loves and collects bears and want to make a gift of one a really good choice is found here too. Look for the teleport to and from inside and outside décor. The place is large so plan some time to look around. I joined the group to get an avatar for Christmas gatherings at a really low price. I will be searching for more good shopping for you in the next days.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Snuggles%20Holidays/163/220/25

 

Gemma Cleanslate

 

Macy's Christmas Parade and The Christmas Expo

 
By Gemma  Cleanslate

So the shopping goes on. There are still many places to visit if you are looking for more trees, wreaths , scenery, or outfits. I will never get to all of them and I am pretty sure you won’t either. I still have a few recommendations though. Here are some reminders first.

Frannie DJ has put away all her Thanksgiving day parade floats and now has her Christmas Parade out. It will stay open until Christmas Day . Santa is still there at Macy’s store and there is still ice skating going on. I stopped over to see some of the floats which are as beautiful as ever. Don’t miss it! There is snow on the ground and the trees are glistening with ice formations on the limbs.

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Steamy%20Shores/72/206/700

Remember to visit The Christmas Expo. This event is raising money for research for the American Cancer Society and has so much going on!

There are parties and raffles and Breedables, sales and auctions, and so many shops with goodies to continue your search for décor and outfits.

If you get there before the ninth, you can enter the snowman (and snowwoman) making contest. The regions are beautifully decorated just for exploring.  

The Expo website at https://slchristmasexpo.com/  will tell you everything you need to know. This SURL will get you there : https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Christmas%20Expo/55/128/23

Also, the Shop and Hop event opens Wednesday at 9am . Get ready for so many shops in one place on 12 regions with 240 merchants. Extreme lag in the early days, but it will be open until January 2 of the new year. I am sure there will be gifts at most shops.

Gemma Cleanslate
 

Christmas Shopping: Snuggles Holidays and Stormwind's North Pole

 
By Gemma Cleanslate

Shopping at Snuggles Holidays is always easy. The grounds are massive but so well organized it is easy to find the theme you are looking for. 

Huge signs indicate the sections where you will find it fast. Here you see animal scenes next to the snowmen areas. Many themes, floral, Santas, Elves, mice, ”cute,” and more are available .

The indoor decor building is also huge and filled with goodies for the house. From trees to wall decor and globes grace the shelves. I am so impressed by the card section here. The cards are also well organized to make the shopping easy. The humour section is fun just to look at and read. Across the way is a great selection of gift boxes. There is so much to look at here save some time for perusing. There is a huge selection of teddy bears with music that are so cute .

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Snuggles%20Holidays/21/168/28

There are several North Pole venues in Second Life that appear during the Christmas season. One that has all things Christmas for sale is set in Stormwind and looks like a shopping area of a European town. When you land the first thing you see is the large Fire Department. A stop there will let you furnish your fire department with great scenes for your winter department. Opposite that is the quaint Post Office with it’s mounds of mail piling up for Santa. Animated elves were mailing some as I watched.

Inside the massive town gate I found a sled rezzer to travel around the streets. I gave up quickly when I almost took out Santa riding around on his bike causing him to knock over a snowman on the corner.Each shop holds its own treasures for sale. I stopped in to the outlet which must hold older scenes but has bargains for those who love them. Elves are everywhere as you wander .

I was charmed at the wreath shop that holds so many wreaths with animated Santas and other season’s figures  in the center with various gestures. 

I had to fight the urge to buy one but I know I am out of prims at my houseboat after decorating. Don’t miss this shop! You might like to stop at the large skating pond in the center and take a spin with  free skates .  

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/StormWind/211/7/1728

Gemma Cleanslate