It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Amber spent the morning at The Christmas Gift + Hobby Show.
This is the event’s 72nd year! This unique shopping event with one-of-a-kind finds will once again give you the opportunity to get in the holiday mood with more than 300 exhibitors and a Holiday Entertainment Stage. Plus, Santa will be there!
You can enjoy the holiday festivities at the show from Wednesday, November 10 through Sunday, November 14, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds west pavilion!
The Christmas Gift + Hobby Show is produced by Marketplace Events, which produces 57 consumer shows annually in the U.S. and 16 in Canada, including 65 home shows, six holiday shows and two wedding shows. The 73 combined events, in 34 markets, currently attract 22,000 exhibitors, 1.9 million attendees and another three million unique web visitors annually.
This is a festive marketplace where you can shop for holiday gifts, see works from local artisans, experience holiday displays that will inspire your own decorations, and much more! From apparel to décor, you can find everything you need for the holiday season, all under one roof.
Today Amber was joined by Laura Groninger, show manager, Bill Brown owner of the North Pole Express display, and Karolyn Grimes, Zuzu from “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Here’s more of what you can expect there:
A Holly Jolly Season with Local Entertainment
Show attendees can enjoy performances from local choirs, singers and dancers on the Holiday Entertainment Stage. Listen to heavenly voices and see festive dance performances while you shop for your holiday gifts. There’s festive fun for everyone!
Zuzu from “It’s a Wonderful Life” Returns with a New Cookbook
Best known for her role as Zuzu Bailey in the classic 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Karolyn Grimes returns to the Gift + Hobby Show with her new cookbook! Newly-updated in honor of the 75th anniversary of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the cookbook celebrates the movie with delicious recipes, all-new movie anecdotes, interviews, trivia, photos and more.
Meet Zuzu, get her autograph, and pick up a cookbook inspired by one of the most beloved American Christmas films of all time!
Be Merrier with Merry Money
Merry Money is back! All show attendees get the chance for some extra green this holiday season. Just register to win Merry Money at the Show Information Booth.
A winner will be drawn every hour throughout the show — all five days of the show — to receive $25 in Merry Money to use at any one vendor of your choice at the Christmas Gift + Hobby Show!
Time for Santa Selfies!
That’s right! You can’t forget to take your picture with Santa. He will be at the Christmas Gift + Hobby Show throughout the show to greet visitors. And he’ll be seated near the show’s live Christmas tree right in the center of West Pavilion. Get in line, and take your best Santa selfie! Ho, ho, ho!
Cherie’s Favorite Finds
Cherie Lowe, the Queen of Free, is known for sharing freebies and strategies for everyday savings along with inspiration for those pursuing a debt-free life. Cherie has appeared on WTHR-TV as a savings expert, and she’s been featured in “The Wall Street Journal” and on Yahoo Finance. Cherie is selecting her favorite finds from this year’s Christmas Gift + Hobby Show. Stay tuned for the must-have gifts she picks from the show!
Give the Gift of Reading
Give the gift of reading or stock up for yourself! The Christmas Gift + Hobby Show is featuring more than 20 local authors offering everything from children’s books to fantasy, historical fiction, horror, humor, inspirational, military history, mystery, paranormal, poetry, romance, science fiction, spiritual, suspense, true crime and more!
Celebrate and support the creativity in your community by purchasing personalized, autographed books from your local authors at Booth #306!
Plus:
Hero Day – Thursday, November 11
Pay honor and tribute to all our veterans on Sunday, November 10! All veterans and active-duty military get FREE ADMISSION for the day, plus FREE PARKING at the State Fairgrounds. Just bring a valid ID, and come enjoy the Christmas Gift + Hobby Show!
Check Your Coat and Lend a Hand
Special Olympics Indiana Marion County will have volunteers to check coats and packages while people shop the Christmas Gift + Hobby Show. All donations and proceeds at the coat check station go to helping the nonprofit organization with its training and programs to empower people with intellectual disabilities around the world!
TICKETS: $13 – Adult FREE – Children 12 and under $9 – Seniors (Wed-Fri Box Office Only)
SHOW Wednesday-Thursday 11/10-11/11 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
TIMES: Friday-Saturday 11/12-11/13 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Sunday 11/14 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
ONLINE Check out the Christmas Gift + Hobby Show website at ChristmasGiftandHobbyShow.com and get
DISCOUNT: $2 off adult admission — good every day! Not applicable for senior tickets. Make sure to go online and save!
NEW THIS YEAR! Discounted State Fairgrounds parking passes are available pre-show for $8. Buy online and save!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 317.705.8719 OR VISIT THE CHRISTMAS GIFT + HOBBY SHOW WEBSITE AT ChristmasGiftandHobbyShow.com.
THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY THE CHRISTMAS GIFT & HOBBY SHOW.
You can go beyond the typical flowers and a card this Mother’s Day, and get your mom a fun gadget! How about a skateboard or something to diversify her beverage experience? David Novak, the Gadget Guy, has more ideas below!
1. Lander 27″ Complete Skateboard

$149.00 lander.la
Mom’s not too young to pick up skating. The Lander 27″ Complete Skateboard is a lightweight, ultra-durable and Eco-Friendly skateboard made of a special blend of fiber-reinforced Nylon and different recycled materials that make it a really solid skateboard that’s built for smooth rides with high level performance capabilities. The skate also features a beautiful design that has a very unique look to it. It’s also stable and maneuverable enough for skate learning, and it makes a great cardio workout that can also improve coordination.
2. Spleash Leash
$34.99, spleash.com
The Spleash Leash is a versatile multi-purpose dog leash handle that can make mom’s dog walks with Fido much cooler. It comes equipped with a water compartment that you can use to quench Fido’s thirst as well as to keep off-leash dogs away with a simple and safe water spray. To quench Fido’s thirst and keep your pup hydrated during a walk, you simply spray some water into the leash’s built-in flip-open water dish, which can be easily flipped open from its handle. Additionally, the Spleash Leash’s built-in water-spray nozzle also allows owners to use its water-spray function up to a 14-foot range to keep any other overly curious and potentially dangerous off-leash dogs away from their four-legged friends.
3. KidsConnect KC2 Phone
$129.95, mykidsconnect.com
With the KidsConnect KC2 Phone, any concerned mother can easily keep tabs on her kids. This simple and minimalist phone features GPS, LBS, and Wi-Fi connectivity, thus working as an all-in-one 4G GPS Tracker Security Solution for real time tracking. While its simple 3 Speed Dial Buttons can have 3 different cell phone numbers pre-configured via the phone’s dedicated SECURE TRACKER GPS App (done via Parental Mode), this 4G GPS Tracker Phone can also offer any concerned mother great peace of mind thanks to its Real-Time GPS Tracking, Geo-Fencing, Voice Monitoring, and Location History functionalities. The phone can also be used to call or send messages to a maximum of 15 cell numbers that are saved in the phone’s internal phone book.
4. Vioguard Cubby Plus UV-C Disinfecting Chamber
$899.00, vioguard.com
Moms are great at taking care of the family and keeping everyone safe. With the Vioguard Cubby Plus UV-C Disinfecting Chamber, you can sanitize any small items, such as Smartphones, keys, baby items, and more. To use it, simply lay your items on its transparent shelf and let its UV-C bacteria-blasting light do the work. The unit’s UV-C light is emitted from all directions, killing up to 99.9% of germs, bacteria and viruses at the molecular level, all in under 60 seconds. This powerful UV-C Disinfecting unit also runs its patented dosimeter technology (which makes it FDA-cleared as a UV-C medical device) to measure its UV-C level in order to ensure the delivery of the precise amount of UV-C light required to destroy infectious agents.

5. Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker
$69.00, elevatedcraft.com
The Elevated Craft 750ml Cocktail Shaker is designed to make the perfect craft cocktails at home. The new Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker leaves no sticky hands, no frozen fingers, and no stuck lids. This is the last shaker you will ever buy and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty. It’s constructed of pro-grade brushed 18/8 stainless steel and is dishwasher safe. The shaker is individually boxed in high-quality giftable packaging and each shaker includes a 50-page cocktail journal. Vacuum insulated design guards against diluting heat transfer to make super chilled drinks while protecting your hands from frostbite. It also means no more condensation puddles on your counter. This patent pending measuring system allows you to dial in your mix from micro ¼ and ½ oz dashes all the way up to a full 6-ounce concoction. Time to recycle your dainty 1.5-ounce jigger and start making real drinks. The innovative Twist Lock system means no more sticky leaks or frozen stuck frustrations.
6. Drinkmate Sparkling Beverage Maker
$109.99, idrinkproducts.com
Perfect for the mom that loves freshly made carbonated beverages, the Drinkmate Sparkling Beverage Maker can carbonate just about any drink you desire. This compact at-home beverage carbonator is easy to operate as well as easy to clean, and no electricity or batteries are required to make it work. This beverage carbonator works based on its patented and detachable Fizz infuser and dual-stage valve system, which ultimately offer you a better control on release of CO2. The Drinkmate comes together with 3 oz starter CO2 starter CO2 carbonators, so you can start carbonating right away, but it also works with the most common brands of 14.5 oz (60 L) CO2 carbonators on the market. Additionally, you also get a BPA-Free Quick-Connect Bottle with a volume mark line, which you can use to prepare your carbonated drinks.
For more information visit, GadgetGram.com.