I’m not much of a shopper.  I like to have a list of what I’m going to buy; go directly to the store, aisle, and shelf where it’s located; make my selection; and leave.  A friend of mine once told me that when she enters a store, the merchandise whispers “Buy me, buy me” to her.  I told her that when I enter a store, the voices tell me “Go home.  You don’t belong here.”

That said, Ted and I went Christmas shopping on Main Street in the Historic District of St. Charles over the weekend.  We were very successful in our shopping, which probably took an hour or so, and then we spent over three hours walking around and enjoying all the holiday activities offered in this pretty, historic, 16-block business district, with its specialty shops and restaurants.

The Historic District dates back to the 1600s and is a year-round tourist destination.  Over the holidays, however, it’s an exceptionally special and unique place to visit.  The afternoon begins with a parade of all the performing period characters and groups.  There are Santas (or versions thereof) dressed to represent international personas of him from many countries, and historic characters in period dress.  The Santas and historic characters walk the sidewalks all afternoon and mingle with the shoppers, telling stories about who and what they represent.  Carolers perform at the Main Street gazebo as a group, and in trios and quartets as they walk around the District, also in historic dress.  A drum and fife corps regularly marches and plays its way up and down Main Street.  Restaurants and kiosks offer hot chocolate and freshly-baked cookies in a $2.00 combo, and the mood of the shoppers–and shopkeepers–is genial, not harassed.

On December 24, the final parade (led by Santa and the Mrs.) goes to the bandstand on the riverfront (the block behind Main Street) and wishes all those gathered a merry Christmas.  At the close of the short ceremony, Mr. and Mrs. Claus get into their sleigh and head home so Santa can begin delivering gifts.

I took pictures as we shopped and wandered and, when we got home, Ted and I agreed that shopping at the mall was fine, but shopping on Main Street was fun.

Father Christmas (English) told us that in England, “merry” means “drunk”; therefore, in England, it is more appropriate to wish people a “happy Christmas.”

The jester struck a pose for me when he saw my camera.

Here comes the drum and fife corps.

This might be a modern Santa.  I’m quite sure this is not a “period” motorcycle.  Notice the trimmings on the shops in the background.  The entire district is decorated like this.

Just as the shops were closing, there was a final choral performance by the historic characters at the Main Street gazebo.

As it got dark, the holiday lights came on.

These are some of the decorated trees in Frontier Park along the Missouri Riverfront, just behind the Main Street shops.