Speaker 1: 0:00

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Speaker 1: 1:10

I'm Martha Jackson, and one of the things that I really regret is I don't usually do my Christmas shopping early, although I know the holidays are coming. Every year at the same time, I tend to procrastinate doing my shopping and preparing for the holidays. It creates a whole lot of unnecessary stress and chaos during a time of year that we should be slowing down and enjoying the season. Well, I am determined to do things differently this year and get ahead of the game, which is why I'm so excited to talk to you about the 47th annual Chi Omega Christmas Market. To talk to you about the 47th annual Chi Omega Christmas Market.

Speaker 1: 1:48

New this year, the Chi Omega Christmas Market has moved to September 26th through the 28th to Dallas Market Hall, and I couldn't be more excited. I've heard for so many years from so many friends how they love this event and it's one of their most favorite times to get their friends together and just go out and take care of the holiday shopping. And, best of all, it supports 13 different local charities, one of which is Make-A-Wish Foundation. So if you're not familiar with Make-A-Wish Foundation, it's an organization that works with terminally ill children and grants them a wish. This is an unbelievable organization and an incredible event, and I can't wait to introduce you to two of the women that are making this event happen. Joining me today is co-chair Nancy Whittle and Make-A-Wish North Texas representative, murphy Sears. Will please introduce yourselves and tell me how you got involved with the Chi Omega Christmas Market? Sure, so my name is Murphy Sears. Well, please introduce yourselves and tell me how you got involved with the Chi Omega Christmas Market.

Speaker 2: 2:47

Sure, so my name is Murphy Sears. I am the Chief Development Officer at Make-A-Wish North Texas, and we have the distinct and unique privilege of being one of the beneficiaries of the Chi Omega Christmas Market.

Speaker 3: 3:00

And my name is Nancy Woodall. I am one of the three co-chairs of the Chi-Mega Christmas Market in our 47th year this year.

Speaker 1: 3:08

Well, that is amazing, so tell me how it all started.

Speaker 3: 3:12

So the Chi-Mega Christmas Market has a history of giving that goes back to 1927. The Dallas Chi-Mega alumni started doing home tours. They had style shows, different ways to give back to the community. In that very first year, in 1978, they started the Chi-Mega Christmas Market and raised $13,000 just over. So we've come a long way since then.

Speaker 1: 3:36

Well, I always love to hear how events such as this started and then how they have evolved over the years.

Speaker 3: 3:41

Tell us where we are now, how they have evolved over the years, tell us where we are now. So today is an exciting time. We are in our 47th year and the Chi Omega Christmas market is moving, not only physically. We are moving to the Dallas Market Hall, but we are also changing our dates. We'll be September 26th through the 28th this year, which is so exciting. It's an opportunity for our shoppers to get their Christmas shopping done early. We always talk about it, but we're really going to do it this year.

Speaker 1: 4:08

Well, I want to get to all the fun details of the shopping part, but I want to talk about the impact that you've made on the community. I mean, you guys raise a lot of money every year and you give it back to a lot of wonderful organizations. How does that all work?

Speaker 3: 4:28

So last year we raised about $572,000, which adds on to our total giving throughout the years of nearly $11 million. We always say $10.5 million, but we are able then to give back to our community. We have 13 beneficiaries and we give away 10 collegiate scholarships to sophomore and juniors girls who are Chi Omegas at different schools throughout the United States. Make-a-wish has been an ongoing beneficiary. Every year they have been a part of it, mainly because back in 2002, the National Chi Omega decided to make them the national philanthropy. National Chi Omega decided to make them the National Philanthropy. So we as an alumni chapter give back to them, as do our collegiate members give back to them, and we've given quite a bit to make a wish throughout the years.

Speaker 2: 5:13

We are so lucky to have received close to $700,000 in the partnership that we've established through the Chi O Christmas Market and through the Chi O's, the Alumni Association, as well as the collegiate chapter, as Market, and through the Coyotes, the Alumni Association, as well as the collegiate chapter as well. And each dollar that is raised through the Coyote Market goes towards granting a wish, and right here in our community we will grant 630 wishes for critically ill children over the course of this year and the funding from the Coyote Christmas Market directly benefits those children. Those wishes that we're granting, that hope and joy that we're instilling for those families, for those kiddos, when they so badly need it.

Speaker 1: 5:51

Well, I love to hear that, because so often we go to these charity events and we don't really know where the money is going and what we're supporting, and that is such a great story. I love that. I wanted to give a personal thank you to our good friend and show sponsor, Kathy Elwall State Farm Agency. We have known Kathy for more than 15 years and there is no person we trust more when it comes to insurance than Kathy Elwall. Kathy is always available to help you find the right insurance for your family needs, whether it's covering your home auto or providing a life insurance policy tailored to the unique needs of families in Highland Park. My family trusts Kathy with our insurance and we hope you will too.

Speaker 1: 6:29

Please visit kathylwallcom to learn more and let her know that Martha from the Bubble Lounge sent you. Well, let's talk a little bit more about the event details. You have moved the date up. It's a little bit earlier and I am one to wait to the last minute to do my Christmas shopping, and this sounds like such an amazing opportunity to get going at the end of September.

Speaker 3: 6:50

We are going to kick things off on Thursday, september 26th. It's going to be a full day, 9 am to 9 pm, and we're going to have first call shopping. So the first people in the building will get all the goodies before anyone else sees them, until 1 o'clock, and we'll have some special things going on during that 9 to 1 session as well. We have Megan Brown, who is a cookbook author. She's got beautiful boards, splendid spreads, and she will be there signing her books and selling them as well, which will be an extra benefit for those who come from 9 to 1 on Thursday. And then the fun just continues out throughout the day. We'll have raffles going on for special prizes. We have some Vouv champagne bottles that are being hand-painted by one of our merchants that we're going to raffle off that evening. Super beautiful, super cool. But the shopping is stellar.

Speaker 3: 7:43

When you walk in, you have merchants that have come from far and near. We have folks coming from Kentucky, mississippi, california, oklahoma not quite as far away and then we do have some local merchants as well, some actually from the University Park, highland Park area in Snyder Plaza. We have four merchants from that area coming this year. We have Suzanne Roberts, who is a fixture in Snyder Plaza Christy M Boutique, sue Sartor, which is maybe lesser known. That's a store out of Louisiana and she just opened over in Snyder Plaza. And then another staple the Jewel Box is going to be at the market with their estate jewelry. I had never walked into. The Jewel Box is going to be at the market with their estate jewelry. I had never walked into the Jewel Box, quite honestly.

Speaker 3: 8:28

And I went in the other day and they have fantastic estate jewelry to sell and they're coming to the market, so you don't have to try to find a parking space on Hillcrest Road to jump out and run in. You can just come to the market and have them, as well as many others.

Speaker 1: 8:43

Well, that sounds perfect.

Speaker 2: 8:45

I mean, sorry, y'all Sorry, I need to do it too Solid funny.

Speaker 3: 8:50

You okay. Oh my gosh, it happens. It happens to the best of us.

Speaker 2: 8:59

Oh, I'm so sorry, that's okay.

Speaker 1: 9:02

See contagious.

Speaker 3: 9:05

Do you want me to start over on anything?

Speaker 1: 9:09

Well, that just sounds amazing. I mean, how can you go wrong with all these amazing vendors, Like just so many unique places that are coming in to represent and things that we probably don't see every day, and I mean I'm really looking forward to it. I can't believe I've never been. I cannot believe you've never been either.

Speaker 3: 9:26

I used to come back after college when it was at the conventions and with my mom and my daughter, and it is so fun to see moms and daughters shopping, girlfriends shopping. Everyone is there to have a good time and shop and if you come early, now that we're in September, you can get some gifts that are actually going to be ready to give at Christmas Instead of waiting until the last minute and rushing to find something. You can get things personalized. We have a merchant coming from California called Must Draw Dogs and he is an artist. He's done fabulous magazine covers and he will take a picture of your dog and do a beautiful portrait of your dog for you. Um, we have another gal coming from atlanta called many, many memories and she can take your holiday cards, your birth announcements, wedding invitations and make ornaments out of them.

Speaker 3: 10:18

But you can't do that if you're waiting till the last minute so that's why you want to come early and see these merchants, so you can have some really unique gifts to give when the holiday season does roll around. You'll be ahead of the game.

Speaker 1: 10:30

Well, so I've always heard for many years from my friends that have been that there's something, there's like a lot more going on than just shopping. There's entertainment, there's activities, there's some food, lots of things involved.

Speaker 3: 10:42

There are. So we will have some specialty cocktails throughout the day, especially on Thursday, because that's our big kickoff day. But yes, we have. I can't remember what they called it, but it's a beautiful cocktail that's going to have one of those bubbles on the top that you actually pop and drink?

Speaker 2: 11:00

Yeah, those are fun.

Speaker 3: 11:01

And of course, we'll have mimosas in the morning for folks to enjoy as they sip and shop. Additionally, levy Catering is the people at Dallas Market Hall. Their food is phenomenal. They have everything you would want, from a chicken salad sandwich to a quesadilla. They do it all. They do it well, so you can come and enjoy a meal there as well.

Speaker 1: 11:27

Well, no wonder people spend the whole day there, because that's all I've ever heard over the years is I'm getting my mom, I'm getting my friends, we're going to be there all day long and, like I said, I've never been, so I don't quite know what to expect, but that sounds amazing.

Speaker 3: 11:44

The aisles are filled. So when you walk in, you're going to see a ginormous Christmas tree right in the center that is decorated head to toe and the merchants are spread out through aisles. So you just start one place, hit an aisle and just walk and you will continue to see great things Again jewelry, children's clothing, baby clothing, things for men, pets, anything you think you need to buy somebody a gift for. We are going to have it there for you to buy and it's just fun. You see friends, you know as you walk down the aisles and it's relaxing. You don't have to go back and forth to your car In and out of the shopping malls, it's just right there. We even have package check, because we know your arms are going to get full, so you can load up a package check and pick those items up on the way out as well, Okay that is brilliant.

Speaker 1: 12:32

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Speaker 2: 13:35

Sure Well, cayo Christmas is shopping with a purpose and luckily we're able to have a table there throughout the course of the shopping event where folks from our community can come and learn a little bit more about us.

Speaker 2: 13:47

But truly, what's really remarkable is that the dollars raised through Cayo Christmas go directly to granting wishes for local kiddos in our community, and these wishes are incredibly creative in nature. We allow kids to shoot for the stars and dream their one true wish when we are granting wishes to critically ill children. We have kiddos who want a playhouse in their backyard. We send kiddos who want a playhouse in their backyard. We send kiddos to Disney. We send kiddos to touch snow for the first time or maybe to meet their favorite celebrity. But it is so much more than that. When a wish is granted, it creates a lasting impact not only on that wish child but also on the family and all of those volunteers who've been involved, and it's an opportunity, through Cuyahoga Christmas, to feel good about the impact that you're able to make for a wish child locally in our community.

Speaker 1: 14:35

Right, I mean, there's just nothing better than making your child happy, especially somebody that is asking for a wish such as that. That's amazing. Well, I know it takes a lot of power to make this event come off without a hitch. Tell me more about what it takes to put this event together.

Speaker 3: 14:53

It takes a lot of volunteer hours and that is what the Dallas Chi Omega Alumni provides us. We 2,500 hours of volunteer work goes into making this event happen and the planning starts truly. After one market ends, the planning for the next begins and the planning involves finding beneficiaries for the next round, sending out grant applications, reaching out to girls regarding scholarships and then finding those merchants again who are interested in coming back the next year. I personally called every single merchant in the main hall this year to place them on the map, because it's like putting a little puzzle together. You've got to make sure everybody has a spot they feel good in and are excited about, and aren't next to somebody with the exact same product you got to make sure of that as well, and then we had to expand.

Speaker 3: 15:49

We are expanded into two halls over at Market Hall, so we're going to be in the main hall and the north hall as well because we were bursting at the seams. But it takes a lot of work. We have a volunteer chair, we have people over hospitality. We really treat our merchants well and we put together merchant bags. This year some of the girls over at SMU who will be the new members are going to help us stuff bags full of goodies so that they have hand sanitizer and mints and all those things they need during the day that they didn't think about before they got there. But it takes a lot of work and we enjoy it. We have a good time doing it.

Speaker 1: 16:27

Well, it sure sounds like it. So we've talked about how this is kind of an all-day affair. If you choose, can you give us any tips of how to enjoy the day? I would imagine it would start with comfortable shoes. It does start with comfortable shoes.

Speaker 3: 16:41

Yes, come comfortable shoes. I will have my tennis shoes on the entire time, even though I have a cute dress on top. People can bring wagons, so I know a lot of other markets do not allow wagons and strollers. We allow wagons and strollers so if that makes it easier for you to carry your products around, you can do that. We do have package check, as I mentioned earlier.

Speaker 3: 17:04

But make a plan. We will have a map for you to pull out and look at and you can figure out the best route that you want to go to. You can target all the children's stores first or just walk aisle to aisle. Um, but yeah, be comfortable, parking is going to be a breeze. Uh, dallas market hall has plenty of parking. So once you get there, just find your parking spot. We'll have some golf carts shuttling folks back and forth, so it'll be a little warmer possibly. We just don't know, but we'll shuttle you in if you don't want to walk to that door, but we're there to walk you. We'll also have valet available, so valet will be there for anyone who just wants to jump out of their car and get to shopping right away.

Speaker 1: 17:47

Well, it sounds like you have thought of every detail that could possibly be thought of.

Speaker 3: 17:51

Well, it sounds like you have thought of every detail that could possibly be thought of. We tried, and we even have a mother's room. So moms who come and need to take a break to take care of their little ones, we've got a special space for you as well.

Speaker 1: 18:02

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Speaker 3: 19:10

Well, it's very simple to purchase tickets. All you need to do is go to CHI and that's C-H-I omegachristmasmarketorg. There you can hit the link to buy tickets and it will take you to Ticket Spice to purchase your tickets. And the tickets can be bought for Thursday, first call Again, that's nine to one, and those tickets are just $35 to be the first in the door to shop. And then general admission starts at 1 pm on Thursday and goes through Saturday. But that's, it's as simple as that. You can also come by them at the door.

Speaker 3: 19:46

We are not going to turn anyone away, but that's the easiest way to get your ticket in advance and that way you don't have to wait in line. We'll scan you and get you on in. But the hours yeah, thursday we go from 9 in the morning to 9 at night. Friday, 9 in the morning until 8 pm and then Saturday is 9 to 5. And one other thing I want to mention Santa Claus is going to be in attendance all three days. He will be mixing and mingling with everyone on Thursday from 9 to 1. And he will be on site Friday and Saturday where you can bring children of all ages can come and have their picture with Santa. We'll have a photographer there or you can take a photo on your phone if you want. But Santa Claus is coming all the way from the North Pole just to be with us, so that's extra special.

Speaker 1: 20:35

So not only can you knock out your Christmas shop, you can also knock out, potentially, your Christmas card.

Speaker 2: 20:42

I mean this is just a win-win right.

Speaker 1: 20:44

Well, I'm super excited. I can't wait to come for the first time and we will see you there. We're looking forward to it. Well, I am super excited. I can't wait to come for my first time. And just to reiterate, the dates are September 26th through the 28th at Dallas Market Hall, which is at 2200 Simmons Freeway.

Speaker 3: 21:03

So everyone knows that Dallas Market Hall is just north of downtown, near the Info Mart, just off Simmons Freeway, which is really 35, right, absolutely. Absolutely, it is so easy to get to. Don't be hesitant to drive. It's super easy to get to. I've been doing it quite a bit lately.

Speaker 1: 21:22

Well, ladies, thank you so much for being here today. Thank you, thank you. That's been another episode of the Bubble Lounge. I'm Martha Jackson. I'll see you next time.