Mayor Jim Auxer chats with Doggy Donuts owner Natalie and Jordan Redman at a Christmas market in the War Memorial Building last year. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — This Saturday morning, the first Christmas event of the season will be held in the War Memorial Building, with the appearance of A Handmade Christmas in Shepherdstown.

While in previous years, the eight-year-old market has been held on one Saturday after Thanksgiving, this year’s event is capitalizing on the current, nationwide trend to begin decorating and shopping for Christmas, right after the Halloween decorations come down at the beginning of November.

“We’re excited for a wonderful show with 100 percent handmade, high quality, locally made gifts!” said organizer Michelle Kwiatkowski.

Kwiatkowski noted that this date change is reflective of her decision to expand her market into a two-day event, with her second date for the market being scheduled for a month from now.

“40 local artists will be inside the historic War Memorial Building on November 18 and December 16 for the annual Handmade Christmas in Shepherdstown!” Kwiatkowski said, mentioning that a few young entrepreneurs will be among those selling at the market. “Two Boys’ Bakery, run by my kids Harper and Finn, will be back with their homemade chocolate chip cookies and cotton candy! This year, they’re saving for a drone and their future cars. Their friend Dakota, another young entrepreneur, will be selling ube cakes and resin jewelry. Young entrepreneur Skyler, with Skyler’s Enchanted Slime, will be selling her unique products! Also, a trio of young entrepreneur sisters will be selling their original paintings and ornaments, at the booth for Sonrisa Art Studios!”

A Christmas display, featured in the Over the Mountain Studio Tour, will continue to grow in Westvirjeni’s flower studio, in preparation for a holiday market in the studio. Tabitha Johnston

New to the holiday market scene this year will be Westvirjeni, which will be opening a weekend holiday shop in its floral design studio on Linden Spring Farm (4960 Engle Molers Road). For Westvirjeni’s owner, Jeni Walker, this decision was inspired by the work she and Westvirjeni’s freelance floral designers put in, to prepare the studio for participation as a tour stop in the Over the Mountain Studio Tour this past weekend.

“On Saturdays and Sundays from Thanksgiving until Christmas, we’ll have a holiday shop open here, since we kind of set the shop up for that,” Walker said, mentioning the shop will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “What we offered on the tour will change some, though, as we get nearer Christmas and winter and stuff like that. We’ll have wreaths and swags and garlands and fun, novel gifts, like our wearable floral jewelry. We’ll probably also be bringing some products in from some other local makers, so that we have a little variety.”

Other art and artisanal markets that will be on tap this holiday season, will include the Shepherd University Art Market at Evolve from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Saturday; the St. Agnes Catholic Church Christmas Bazaar in its parish center on Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and the Holiday Marketplace at the Entler Hotel, on Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and every weekend through Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.