Dayton Merchants Prepare to Kick Off Christmas

Once again, Downtown Dayton will be the place to shop and hang out during Christmas Kickoff on Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving.

By Ken Graham

This year, Bev Startin will enjoy her tenth Christmas Kickoff celebration as owner of Patit Valley Products on Dayton's Main Street. "Friday is always a crazy day," she says, "but it's great for business and it's a lot of fun." Bev says that her espresso machine runs almost non-stop for 12 hours, the Friday of Christmas Kickoff. "The only break I get is during the fireworks, but I have to spend my time restocking and I never get to enjoy them."

Patit Valley Products, which moved into its current location in 2000, is now chock full of gifts, Christmas decorations and ornaments. "I really enjoy setting up and decorating the store for Christmas," Bev says. "But this is all I do. We haven't had a Christmas tree at home in years."

Bev is chairperson of this year's Chamber of Commerce Christmas Kickoff committee, as she has been for the last several years. "Everyone on the committee pretty much knows the drill, so it's gone very smoothly," she says. "Lisa (Ronnberg, Dayton Chamber of Commerce Director) does a great job putting together the advertising and getting the word out, so our job mostly involves decorating up and down Main Street and lining up entertainment."

Vicky and Bill Beckmeyer and their daughters, Cara Breland and Jessica Atwood, experienced baptism by fire last year during their first Christmas Kickoff as operators of Croft's Flowers and Gifts. "It was insane," says Cara. "That weekend, we provided flowers for a wedding, an anniversary celebration and a funeral. The store was full of people for two full days, but I was in the back working the whole time and never got to see any of them. I hope I can get in on some of the fun this year."

Croft's has no weddings or anniversaries cheduled this year during Christmas Kickoff weekend – and no funerals, so far. Besides poinsettias and other flowers for Christmas, the store will be full of Christmas gifts and decorations. And the Beckmeyer family has some special guests planned as well.

"We're having Christmas stories for kids at 1:00 on Saturday," says Cara. "My daughter (ten-year-old Morgan) will be the reader. She loves reading to the ‘little kids'. Then Santa will arrive at 1:30." Kids can get their pictures taken with Santa all afternoon Saturday, and on Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. "We're also hoping Frosty the Snowman will show up on Saturday, but we're not sure." Cara says that her son Alex, 12, is hoping his costume arrives in time for him to join Santa for Christmas Kickoff.

Patit Valley Products, Croft's Flowers and Gifts, and most other retailers on Dayton's Main Street, will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday during Christmas Kickoff. Special events during Christmas Kickoff will include Friday night fireworks, mule-drawn hayrides, pictures with Santa and carolers on Main Street. You can find the complete schedule of events at www.historicdayton.com.

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