11/24/2025
This weekend, I returned to my first Christmas Market since 2019. For additional context - I hadn’t done the Christmas Market since it was in the basement of The Bay! Between 2020 and 2025, my health was too poor and too fragile to participate in the large scale markets, thanks to a life-altering long-COVID diagnosis after very severe acute COVID in Dec. 2020. I truly thought that my days of big markets were finished.
Given my long time away from the market scene, I had no idea what to expect this weekend. I was absolutely blown away by how many people remembered me. So many shoppers exclaimed how happy they were to see me back at the Christmas market. We told stories about good dogs who have come and gone, and the treasured collar collections that remain. We shared laughs about the Naughty & Nice collars (this weekend’s best sellers - especially the “Naughty”)! People brought me collars from 8 years ago. I was very touched by how many people asked me how I was doing, and also offered condolences about the losses of my company’s namesakes - Lewis & Clark.
2026 marks 10 years of business. What I’ve learned, through the many ups & downs of this business, is that small businesses truly rely and thrive on the support from our communities. We’ve built a community here of dog lovers, and also of folks who look out for one another. That’s pretty darn special.
Suffice to say, I had a great weekend. Wore lots of dog-themed clothing and accessories, saw lots of dog photos, and sold a bunch of handmade dog products. Special thanks to the entire Third + Bird team. Thank you for welcoming me back, and for always organizing such well-run events to bring local makers together with the folks who love them. To my lovely friends and family who helped me this weekend - thank you! I could not have managed without you. To my fellow vendors - thanks for the giggles, product trades, shopping runs, and for making amazing things. You never cease to amaze me!
I was kept SO busy that I have very few photos, and basically none of Saturday. Swipe to see some photos and some outtakes!
Much love, Manitoba. Thank you ♥️♥️