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You’ve probably heard the saying, “Christmas is for the birds.”  Those uttering the phrase more than likely meant they were fed up with all the Christmas hoopla, but if you ask any bird lover they will tell you that Christmas really is for the birds – literally.

If you’re a bird lover and want to make the Christmas season one to remember for your birds, it’s time to flock to Fort Wayne and visit Wild Birds Unlimited – the place to get the best in feed and feeders for the birds. Wild Birds Unlimited offers great products for birds of all shapes and sizes – and unique, eclectic gifts for the people who love them.

The Wire Mesh Snowman Feeder - a Great Gift for Any Bird Lover!

This year Wild Birds Unlimited has unveiled some new items for feathered friends. The first is the Snowman Seed Cylinder, a festive, jolly fellow made from safflower, sunflower chips and peanuts, and decorated with dried fruit, raffia, and a garland. The snowman is designed to feed from the Wild Birds Unlimited cylinder feeders and for the holidays there is a limited supply of red-roofed feeders available.

Another new item this year for the winter birds is the TreeNutty Woodpecker Feeder, which is a combination of a resin bark panel along with a hopper to create the ideal feeder for woodpeckers.

Not sure what to feed birds in the winter? Bark Butter Bits are the perfect food. Offer them alone in a feeder or mix them in with your favorite blend as a special treat for the birds in your neighborhood.

The Cranberry Fare Seed Wreath

A popular item back for another season is the Wire Mesh Snowman Feeder, which is fun and festive and attracts a variety of birds or if you’re partial to wreaths, the Cranberry Fare Seed Wreath is a convenient way to attract more birds to the backyard. Feeders are packed with pecans, peanuts, black oil and sunflower chips, safflower and cranberries to attract a large variety of birds.

Bird lovers everywhere it’s time to migrate to Fort Wayne and visit Wild Birds Unlimited in the Northcrest Shopping Center (801 Northcrest Shopping Center, 46805) …the birds and the bird lovers in your family will thank you!

Grandma's Chocolate Coconut Cake - YUM!

I remember watching my mother bake in the kitchen. Oh, the delightful smell of cookies and cakes baking, and the anticipation of sampling the delectable treats.

Then there’s my grandma – wow, could she ever make a beautiful and completely melt-in-your-mouth delicious cake for the holidays and birthday celebrations. And she did – over and over again. Everything was made from scratch and I don’t even think she had a recipe – except maybe one in her head. She was a real artist.

Grandma isn’t here any longer and unfortunately, without a recipe, neither is her delicious cake. A few years ago I stumbled upon a local bakery that had just opened and I stepped inside. Familiar smells from Grandma’s kitchen greeted me instantly and then when I bit into the cupcake I purchased, I could tell the owner was a real bakery artist – just like my grandma.

Just a sampling of some delectable desserts at Courtney's Bakery!

Not surprisingly, Courtney Hamm, the owner of Courtney’s Bakery, has similar memories from her childhood. She grew up in a home where smells were continually emanating from the kitchen as her mother baked day after day for friends and family. It was there in that kitchen that Courtney developed a passion for baking and where the dream began to grow of owning her own bakery someday.

Courtney clearly has a natural talent for baking, and she’s also taken several classes to hone her skills even further. While the cakes are gorgeous and delicious, there’s more than cake at this bakery. There are also cinnamon rolls, donuts, pies, and cheesecakes – just to name a few.

So, next time you’re in Fort Wayne, check out the delectable baked goods at Courtney’s Bakery, 10812 Coldwater Road, Suite 200. You will be glad you did! And, check out their website for more information at www.courtneysbakery.com.

The holidays are fast approaching and everyone is on the search for just the perfect gift.  Take a trip to Fort Wayne and visit some ‘off the beaten path’ shops that offer a wide variety of gifts – many one-of-a-kind, for every person on your list.

The Rustic Hutch

Owned and operated since 1974 by husband and wife team, Bill and Diana Bodecker, the Rustic Hutch has evolved with the trends and is an eclectic and upscale country store today with two locations serving the Fort Wayne community.

A vignette at The Rustic Hutch in Pinevalley

Its largest store, located at 10202 Coldwater Road in Pine Valley, offers a 13,000 square foot showroom that houses a wide array of traditional eclectic décor in various vignettes throughout the showroom. A garden and floral area gives the shop a cottage-style feel, and offers the opportunity to choose flowers and greenery for custom-designed floral arrangements.

Located next to Panera in the Jefferson Pointe Shopping Center, Rustic Hutch’s second location offers an indoor gazebo, higher ceilings, pillars and cherry flooring, giving it a very upscale country flare.

Both locations offer a wide variety of one of a kind items, including products lines from Yankee Candle, CR Laine, Liberty Furniture, Vera Bradley, Pandora Jewelry, and Willow Tree Figurines to name a few, as well as many other items for the home.

Wild Hare Decor

Wild Hare Decor in Auburn Park

Another upscale eclectic shop to visit is Wild Hare Décor located in Auburn Park at 10124 Auburn Park Drive.

Wild Hare Décor is locally owned by Beth Dager and is a very retail-friendly shop with all sorts of gift ideas in addition to home décor and furniture. The shop is also design-focused with the theme of turning a house into a home.

With over 300 vendors, everything is fresh at the shop. Just a step inside and you realize the shop is fun, different and very fresh. The Wild Hare is reminiscent of stores you’d find in a much larger city such as Chicago. It’s very unique and loaded with unusual, quirky items for the person and the home. There are gift ideas around every corner such as Italian pottery, accessories, art, and other décor with personality for even the most difficult person on your list.

Bittersweet Gifts

Another great shop to visit off the beaten path is Bittersweet Gifts, owned by Donald Jennings and Nathan Taves, the shop is located in the JoAnn Plaza at 4630 Coldwater Road.

Step into the shop and you’ll find unique, different and affordable items that are very interesting and oftentimes off-beat, which makes the shop unusual in the area.

Collectibles include the Boyd’s Collection and San Francisco Music Boxes handpicked by the owners in an effort to find unique collectibles not found in other gift shops.  Other items include handbags, jewelry, candles, Franz porcelain as well as other unique items displayed in an open and pleasing manner.

These are just a few of my favorite locally owned and unique Fort Wayne stores. What are some of yours?

For the past several years, our Christmas tree has been an artificial one. It’s pre-lit and pretty and much, much easier to take down and put up, but I miss not only the look and smell of a real tree, but also the joy of the hunt – the hunt to find the perfect tree.

Clark Griswold, from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, finds the perfect family Christmas tree.

Have you ever watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? Do you remember the Griswold family going into the woods – deep, deep, deep into the woods to search for the perfect Christmas tree? Clark was determined to make a memory with his family, and, at the same time, enjoy the hunt to find the perfect tree for their home. Okay, I admit, Clark chose poorly. The tree was huge and came with a critter in it. The point here is what Clark was trying to accomplish. He wanted a real tree for his family’s Christmas. I love the sentiment.

Like Clark Griswold, I believe there is something special about going and picking out the family Christmas tree. There’s just something about heading out – all decked out in winter attire with a common goal in mind – searching for that perfect family Christmas tree where friends and family will gather and presents will surround during the holiday season.

Whether you want to cut your own tree, pick a live tree and have it cut for you, buy a tree already cut, or buy a living tree you can plant, there are several Christmas tree farms in the area where you can do just that and more.

St Joe Christmas Tree Farm

Experience Christmas in the Country at St. Joe Christmas Tree Farm, 9801 St. Joe Road. The farm offers a fun memorable Christmas tree buying experience with free train rides every weekend and complimentary beverages for visitors. In addition to 23 acres of White Pine, Douglas Fir, Blue Spruce, and Fraser Fir, there are precut varieties located in the barn. There are also live potted trees, wreaths and swags, and white pine garland and bough.

Christmas trees in a country setting can also be found at Pines of Leo, 18832 Amstutz Road. Varieties available are Scotch Pine and White Pine.

Another Christmas tree farm, the Koontz Tree Farm, located between Cook and Washington Center Roads at 6827 Huguenard Road, offers choose and cut Christmas trees, as does the Devil’s 40 Tree Farm at 8225E 600N in Churubusco. At Devil’s 40 enjoy a Christmas gift shop, fresh greens, wreaths, and garland as well as choose and cut your own Scotch Pine, White Pine, Douglas Fir or Fraser Fir.

This Christmas – think about getting a real tree. It’s an adventure you and your family will always remember.

I love the holidays!

I love the holidays – the sights and sounds and smells. At our house, the Christmas tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving and the house transforms into a winter wonderland – just the way I love it.

While some people dislike the shopping…I love it! I enjoy spending time searching for that extra special gift for that extra special someone, and then count the days until I can give it to them to open. Yes, I love Christmas and all the hoopla that goes along with it.

Yet…something is missing.

No, it’s not the commercialization of Christmas, you can find that everywhere. What’s missing is the overlooked meaning of the holiday. All too often we forget the real reason for the season.

Live nativity animals greet children at Fort Wayne's Christ Child Festival

Thankfully, there is an event that focuses on the meaning of Christmas, one that is rich in history and enjoyed by many year after year. It’s called the Christ Child Festival and it’s held at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum.

The nondenominational Christ Child Festival is an event targeted to bring the entire community together to focus on the true meaning of the season and God’s great love. Founded in 1951, it is one of Fort Wayne’s oldest festivals, marking 60 years in December.

This year’s Christ Child Festival will take place from Friday, December 16 – Sunday, December 18. Admission is free. Live music and well over 60 booths from churches and other community organizations will offer festive activities that include games, crafts, and fun for the entire family.

The Christ Child Festival runs December 16 - 18, at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum

Refreshments will be provided by local venders. A food donation for the Community Harvest Food Bank is greatly appreciated by attendees. Contact the Allen County Memorial Coliseum for more information.

If you’re tired of the humbug atmosphere during the holiday season, and want to refocus on the real reason for the season, then take some time out of your busy schedule to celebrate at the Christ Child Festival.