Longtime visitors to the Wakefield Building in the center of Montross, now the Montross Mercantile and Museum Gift Shop, will recognize some old favorites, most especially the 1950s era Santa that once hung in People's Drug Store in Montross.
Apothecary jars filled with antique Christmas balls and bells line the front windowsills, next to the brightly lit holiday town nestled in a blanket of snow, the design inspiration of Museum manager Theresa Martin.
Visitors to the Mercantile are greeted at the front door by a large and well-appointed Nutcracker statue, cheering in the holiday season. Every year, it takes at least two members of the holiday crew to wrangle him down the stairs from the Mercantile's antique-filled attic. It is a labor of love, but tricky nonetheless. See below as Kelly Stitzer and Kathryn Wittman maneuver the holiday ambassador down the stairs for this year's display.
He's made it down safely without losing a speck of sparkle or his dignity! But the decorating is still underway and Kelly and Kathryn are on to other fluff and design jobs.
Meanwhile, Rebecca Gillions builds bows for all the wreaths and trees throughout the store.
Museum manager, Theresa Martin, holds up one of the wreaths for inspection.
Theresa gives special attention to showing off the old post office boxes left from the days the Mercantile Building was a post office and general store.
And then, almost like holiday magic, the work is done. Lights sparkle in the shop windows as motorists pass by.
The Mercantile is normally open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, the Museum Gift Shop will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the Westmoreland County Holiday Tree lighting. The gift shop will be serving hot cocoa, hot cider and home-baked cookies.