Most of you received a newsletter letting you know about our Progressive sale.  Sale begins immediately and runs through the end of April.  Here is the deal!

If your total purchase equals a specified amount, then you get a discount on those purchases.  The more you spend, the larger the discount.  Here is the scale;

Under $10.00      Discount – none

$10.00 to 19.99   Discount – 5%

$20.00 to 29.99   Discount – 10%

$30.00 to 39.99   Discount – 15%

$40.00 to 49.99   Discount- 20%

$50.00 to 59.99   Discount- 25%

$60.00 to 69.99   Discount – 30%

$70.00 to 79.99    Discount – 35%

$80.00 +              Discount – 40%

On collectibles such as Christopher Radko and Department 56, it only applies to RETIRED PIECES.  This progressive sale does not apply to items that are already on sale.  We have a large supply of retired pieces in both lines, and it’s a great time to stock up on those pieces you missed last year.

Customers are happy to see we are back to our regular hours, everyday from 10-6.  Some customers requested that we have at least one day a week that we have later hours.  So we are going to begin a trial of being open until 8pm on Wednesdays.  We hope we have a great response so we can accommodate your requests.

We are sorry to report that Sleighbells is no longer able to let the public utilize our Meeting Room Space.  If you have any questions, please give Rob a call at 503-625-6052.

Thank-you for your understanding.

We tried out our new Spring hours of operation and found that we were missing to many customers.  So we have changed our minds and we are now open everyday from 10:00am until 6:00pm. St. Patrick’s Day and Easter are on display.  We have received the Department 56 Snowbunnies for this year and they are as cute as ever.  We have been busy ordering, preparing for the new season.  Department 56 villages have been ordered and they should start arriving in June.  Catalogs are in and we encourage you to come out and fill out order forms for the pieces you would like to add to your collection.  Merck Old World Christmas has been ordered and there are some fun pieces this year.  We are still working on the Christopher Radko order and can’t wait to see the new line.  If there is something you would like us to order that you have seen on the website, now is the time to speak up.  We will do our best to fulfill your order.

If you haven’t tried our fudge, be sure to ask for a free sample the next time you are in the store.

Remember to check our Facebook page for updates and events that happen at our store throughout the year.  There is an advantage to following our Facebook page because we offer special sales and giveaways available only to our Facebook Fans!  You will find us on Facebook as Sleighbells Gift Shop.

We look forward to seeing you all soon!

Greetings from the farm!  It’s that time of year and we are gearing up for a busy season.  We have decided not to extend store hours this year.  So the gift shop will be open everyday from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm.  Tree sales during the week are from 10:00 am until dusk.  On the weekends, tree sales will start at 9:00 am until dusk.  The exception to that is the day after Thanksgiving and tree sales will start at 9:00 am.

Santa will arrive the day after Thanksgiving from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.  From that time forward he will be here only on the weekends from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm.

We will have all types of vendors in the lower parking lot.  All hot food will be outside.  We will be serving hotdogs, hamburgers and chili.  We have a couple new vendors this year.   Luckee Dutch Cookies from Newberg and St. Josef Winery from Canby.  Come out and do a little wine tasting!  Our ever popular Kettle Korn Man will be returning this year.  Starting the following weekend we will be making our own fresh doughnuts with flavors ranging from regular cake doughnuts, assorted frostings including a special flavor of the day.

The Festival Brass Band will be playing outside on Saturday, November 26th, Saturday, December 3rd and Sunday, December 11th.

Pony rides will be available every weekend and will be  under a covered tarp…just in case it rains.

The ever popular Tree Pee Contest will be held Saturday December 10th starting at 9:00 am.  Sleighbells will be donating 86 trees and is sponsored  by radio station AM86.  If your dog pee’s on a designated tree within the allotted time, you get a free tree!  Always a crowd pleaser.

What a great way to get in that holiday spirit by coming to Sleighbells, cutting your tree, enjoy some food and goodies, listen to the band, have your picture taken with Santa and pick out that special ornament for your tree.  It is a tradition for many families that venture out to Sleighbells every year.  We appreciate your patronage and look forward to celebrating this holiday season with you and your family.

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is only 38 days away.  We had a great turnout for our Open House and for our Christopher Radko Signing event.  We still have some Christopher Radko signed event pieces in stock.  If you are interested, you need to come in soon before they disappear.  Customers have been busy purchasing their new Department  56 pieces and the Holiday Gift sets have been big hits.  We have already sold out of the Dickens clock tower and cannot re-order as Department 56 is sold out.  We encourage our customers not to wait to insure your desired pieces are in stock.

We will be posting our holiday hours soon.  With Thanksgiving a week from tomorrow, we are gearing up for tree and wreath sales.  Remember to follow us on Facebook under Sleighbells Gift Shop.  We look forward to seeing you and hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Enjoy some pictures of our past events!

We need to make a correction on the time for the Christopher Radko Signing Event at Sleighbells.  The correct time is from 6 pm-8 pm on Friday, November 11th, 2011. Please join us at Sleighbells to meet an artist from Christopher Radko,  Joseph Walden.  He will be signing all Radko ornaments along with the special Event piece, “Midnight Arrival”

Yesterday we had an accident and had to shut down the store.  A car drove thru the Wreath House.  Luckily, no employees or passengers in the car were hurt.  There is a lot of damage and we will be working this week to clean up the mess.  They were finally able to tow the vehicle out late yesterday afternoon.  The Fire Department, Police and Restoration Company evaluated the building for structural, electrical damage.  So the door going into the Wreath House and that whole wall is now boarded up.  The building is structurally sound, so customers are allowed in the store.  Just not in that section of the store.  All sales have to be taken upstairs.  Our counter and computer downstairs is not in service.  It may be a few days before we are able to make fudge.  We are still planning our Swap-n-Sell and Oktoberfest this weekend.  We are working hard trying to get everything up and running.  Please be patient as we try and repair the damages.  We appreciate all the kind thoughts and concerns by our loyal customers.  It means so much to all of us.  Thank-you!

Greetings from the Farm…….

We hope you are enjoying your summer. For the most part, it has been pleasant, and that helps with the air conditioning bill. We want to heartily Thank You for your support, in a time when personal finances are difficult for some at best, your patronage is greatly appreciated. We are striving to create a fantasy retail experience for your future visits with pleasant surprises of great traditional and new products. We have been busy this summer getting ready for the holiday season. We should be at peak load by October first. We hope you like the changes, the new stuff, and the events that are coming your way. . . . . . . . .

Department 56:

The big news is our Signing by Tom Bates, village artist, on Friday evening, September 16th from 5 to 8 pm. Tom has been designing villages since 1997 and he previously signed at Sleighbells about five years ago. He has a affinity for “Christmas in the City” but he finds all the villages a wonderful challenge to create. He would like to work on the “Chrysler Building” some day if they can get the license for it. He is very personable and loves to talk to customers about the villages and the creative process. You are welcome to bring up to four previously purchased buildings for Tom to sign. There is no limit for items you purchase the day of the signing. We will provide light refreshments and beverages during the event. Chances to win signed door prizes will open to all attendees. Please come and meet Tom, find out what happening next with the villages, have your villages signed, and have a glass of wine with us. Make it a special TGIF next Friday.

Most items that were ordered from the January catalog have been delivered and displayed, with a few exceptions. Next we will be getting the mid year offerings. The “Anglesey Cottage” celebrating William & Kate will be here by the end of this week. Please feel free to call and reserve an item(s) and we will notify you when they arrive. New collectors are discovering “The Frost Village” and “Williamsburg”. The last piece in the Halloween Train, the Caboose has arrived and they are moving quickly. Some of the previous Train pieces are going to be hard to come by, particularly the Passenger Car, and Dept56 is out of them. The “Clock Towers” have been a hit in all the villages and a great price at $35.

Swap & Sell is Sept 30th through Oct 2nd.

If you are thinking of selling all or part of a collection give us a call and reserve a seller’s table. We usually fill up so do not wait to reserve a table. If you are trying to complete a collection or discover a rare find come out and see what our sellers have to offer. It is usually fine stuff, good gift ideas and decent prices.

Oktoberfest is Saturday, Oct. 1st this year.

The “Festival Brass” will be here from 11:30am to 2:30pm playing the ”Best of Um Pa Pa” and your favorite the “Chicken Dance”. We will have traditional foods, free bier and draft root bier. We hope to make fresh cider again and have some wein tasting. Frauleins wear your best Drindl and Manner your Lederhosen. Although you are not “goin to San Francisco”, you can still wear some flowers in your hair for our Oktoberfest. It is a good time so come and celebrate the harvest with us.

Our next TGIF event is the Season Opener on Friday evening Nov 4th from 5 to 9pm. Danny Vernon, your perennial favorite, will be performing his “Illusion of Elvis” show, along with Marcia, his wife as Ann Margaret/Santa’s Cute Little Elf. Danny will also be bringing a special “Friend”, who you are sure to recognize and enjoy once the entertainment begins. There will be food, wine, door prizes, sales reps and a $10 gift certificate all for the usual price of $15. Paid reservations are required and we usually sell out. You can reserve when you are in the store or call in your reservation so we can get all the information we need. Please don’t email as that can be cumbersome. We look forward to seeing you and having a great time together.

Radko Signing by Joseph Walden, Artistic Director on Friday, Nov. 11th from 5 to 8 pm.

Joe has signed at Sleighbells in each of the last two years. He is very personable and well liked by our customers. He loves to discuss the current Christopher Radko line, plans they have for the future, how he gets inspired and when he know he has a winner on the drawing board. Joe encourages your feedback to find out what you like as a source for his inspiration. The event piece this year is “Midnight Arrival” which captures Santa at his most joyful.

It costs $59 and is only available at signings. You can purchase it in advance and Joe will sign it for you for later pick up or mailing if you can’t attend the signing. We’ll have complementary refreshments and beverages. Attendees can enter to win 3 Radko signed ornament door prizes. Make that special someone’s gift extra special by giving a signed Christopher Radko Ornament. This is our last TGIF event before the crush of the Season pushes us to Christmas. We hope to see a lot of our friends at these events. Spread the word. Thanks.

Whats New At Sleighbells

We have some changes in store for you when you next visit. The beach area has moved to the Meeting Room on the first floor. Margaret created a beautiful Nostalgic/Retro room where Beach use to be. She has been ordering all kinds of things covered in glitter and designed to evoke pleasant memories of Holidays past. The new line of Snowbabies called “Snow Dreams” fit right in this new area along with Bethany Lowe Christmas items.

Marji has made a fabulous Circus display in the Halloween Room with Bethany Lowe products. The Halloween area is stocked and customers are loving what they find.

New Byers Choice Carolers are arriving monthly. Did you know the Carolers and Kindles are practically guaranteed for life. Ask us for details. New Byers advent calendars are on the way. This is just the best line for products made in the U.S.A.

Caitlin has set up a brand new kiosk of “Sock Monkeys”. She is working to get Snowbabies reawakened for this season. Jack set-up a new line of brass, tin & glass beaded ornaments from Pilgrim Imports in a large variety of themes on a cool velvet tree form. Dart has the S’mores completely packed full.

Mary M has Christopher Radko & Old World areas fully stocked and organized for easily finding something. Mary R (In addition to becoming our newest Grandma) has Department 56 in tip top shape using a modified tent card this year that we hope is an improvement on the past. Elise has made a beautiful arrangement of “Charming Tails” (Back in the store after a 3 year hiatus), “Purr…..sonalities” (New cat series from Charming Tails) and “Little Kitchen Fairies” on the first floor.

CANDLES

We have expanding Root Candles by adding votives and Medium and Large size glass tumblers. Frequently, 15 to 20% of jar candle wax goes unburned, because of the design. This could cost you up to $5 per candle. The tumblers have the best design for near complete wax utilization. The fragrances and colors are beautiful and they match Root tapers, aristas & pillar candles. We are closing our our Bean Pod and Woodwick candles at 50% off, so get them while you can. We are adding a new line from Aunt Sadie’s Candles. They come in tins with great graphics and exquisite aromas. Because they are tins they make great travel candles. When you look at them you will smile. Another great gift idea. We hope you love them.

Marji has worked her magic with Thanksgiving and Autumn and the Pilgrims and Indians are calling to you. (Take us home, Please) We know it is pretty soft, but listen closely. (We need a place to celebrate, Please take us home). Our selection of beautiful solid Glass Pumpkins and Gourds is larger than ever. We have a great supply of items that will decorate your Thanksgiving Table, Side Board, Coffee table and front door. Check it out.

Patience Brewster’s Kringles for 2011 should be here and on display by October 1st. Her whimsical figures exude a creativity that is very rare. They make our customers smile and laugh. If you like her cards you better get them while you can because they have stopped making them. We are sure Margaret will do another spectacular display with Kringles to tantalize you.

Christmas Trees went on sale on September 1st so the Pre-Selection process has begun.

Celebrate a nice day, with the family and the dog(s), by finding perfect tree, tagging it and paying for it. You can celebrate another day in late November or December with less stress when you come back to pick it up. We encourage you to have at least one real tree in your house for the Christmas Season. Spread the good word, a real tree for number 1 and oil well trees for all the additional trees. Our tree prices have remained the same for the last seven years, in an effort to keep them affordable for you. All trees over ten feet tall are $100. Make sure your trees are filled with beautiful decorations from Sleighbells.

Our Fudge makes a great gift that you can give in person or ship to special relatives and friends. We have a special deal for shipping fudge to any single address in the US priority mail. (Our Free Fudge special does not apply to this to this offer).

• 1 Pound for $14,
• 2 Pounds for $27
• 3 Pounds for $35
• 4 Pounds for $40

You can easily get 3 different flavors in a pound. Please call and let us help you with your out of town gifts for any occasion. Every time we take fudge to a pot luck or open house it is the first dessert to disappear.

The Wrap up. . . . . .

We would like to be the first to wish you and yours a joyful holiday season filled with celebrations of Christmas, Kwanza, or Hanukkah with your personal traditions. We hope that next year is healthy and prosperous for you and yours and the company that employs you. Thanks for 27 years of support and encouragement. Respectfully, Rob and the Sleighbells Staff

Starting September 1st come out and pick  your perfect tree while the weather is nice. Stop in at the wreath house, where you will receive a map, tag, ribbon, and instructions. Grab a measuring stick on your way out the door and you’re off on your tree tagging adventure. Once you find the perfect tree: Tag it, mark it with ribbon, and mark its location on your map. When you return to the Wreath House, your map will be completed and you will pay for your tree. Complete instructions are provided before you begin.

On preselected trees we also give you the option of cutting it yourself at no charge, or for $5, we will cut, shake, and bail your tree for you on the date that you specify. Many people take advantage of this option to stay warm and dry on those soggy November and December days.

Great way to spend your Labor Day weekend.  The weather looks great for tree hunting and you can have your Christmas tree chosen before the kids go back to school!