Illinois Local Holiday Market 2023

Over the weekend I got to be a part of the Illinois Local Holiday Market! My decision to have a booth there was completely last minute, but it was so much fun. I wanted to share my experience and the process that went into making this booth possible.

I decided to enroll in the market about a week and half before it took place. I know, last minute! I saw on Facebook that you could still register, so I thought why not reach for the stars! I enrolled in the market, paid the fee, then began scrambling. I had absolutely ZERO ideas on what I wanted to do for this booth. I'm still in high school, and I enrolled during class, so once it was lunch time I ran to my friend and asked her for ideas. Luckily I came up with a really cute idea. I decided to keep it simple and do a little Christmas tree with a bench and Christmas presents. I was inspired by an older 90s Christmas theme. I wanted the set up to feel magical and nostalgic.

I quickly went around trying to find deals, and ways to borrow props from people. I don't have lots of money to spend on this, so I had to be resourceful. I worked hard to make everything perfect. I went to Menards, Walmart, Goodwill, etc to get ready. I got candy, props, ornaments, decorations, and photos to personalize it. Everything was so fast and I am so proud of myself for the way I handled the stress and pressure. I honestly impress myself everyday about how driven I actually am! I had very little help, and I put everything together on my own. I was so excited for the market. Even if things didn't go well I was still proud that I put myself out there, and put all of this together.

The day of the market finally came, and I was so scared. All I could do was hope for the best because it was time to make things happen. I will admit, my booth was not as successful as I was hoping it would be, but I loved all the people I got to meet and take photos of. The day was fun, and it taught me so much about business and about myself. It was truly a great experience that I will never forget!