​Between the holiday parties, Christmas gatherings, and New Year’s celebrations, you probably have a few hostess gifts to buy.  We’ve roamed around the New Egypt Flea Market Village for inspiration on some great gift ideas.  While there’s countless wonderful gifts at the Village, here’s 6 gift ideas that are sure to make any host or hostess happy. 

1.  Not Another Bottle of Wine
Let everyone else coming to the party bring a bottle of wine.  You, instead, can bring a wine bottle holder that matches the interests and tastes of your host or hostess.  Beyond the Wine Rack (Building 1E) is full of gifts, décor, and wine accessories, including some of the coolest wine bottle holders. 
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Everything they sell seems to have character.  It’s the perfect place to find something unique that will fit your host or hostess’s personality.   And most importantly, when you give your host or hostess something from Beyond the Wine Rack, no one will sigh and say, “Another bottle of wine.”

2.  Retro Records
Record players are popping up in homes everywhere.  And what party doesn’t have music?  Even if your host/hostess doesn’t own a record player, album covers are sought-after wall art these days.  You don’t get liner notes or cover art with an MP3 or streaming service.  Only good old vinyl gives you that. 
 
New Egypt Comics, Vinyl, & Video Games (Building 5E) has the market’s biggest selection of records in a wide range of genres. Plus, most shops at the New Egypt Flea Market Village have a stash of records.  If New Egypt Comics, Vinyl, & Video Games doesn’t have the album you’re looking for, just keep peaking inside the shops until you find it.  

3.  Grab n’ Go Gift Baskets
Why let some company pick what goes in a gift basket?  You know the host/hostess’s favorite jams and jellies...or if they have a taste for BBQ sauce instead.  At Jersey Girl’s Produce and Seasonal Items (Building #49) you can fill up your own Grab n’ Go Gift Basket.  Not only do you get to pick just the right flavors, you also gett TammySue’s award winning, locally made jars of deliciousness. 
 
Once you’ve filled your gift basket for your host/hostess, you can even fill a tray of hand baked cookies or pick out some of TammySue’s fudge for everyone to munch on at the party.

4.  Nuts and Candy Dispensers
Who doesn’t have a favorite candy or love peanuts?  These nifty peanut and candy dispensers are handmade here in Ocean County by R&D Wood Creations and you can find them at The Poetry and Arts Barn (Building 12E).  They can fit Skittles, unshelled nuts, jelly beans, and other candies as big as peanut M&M’s. 
 
Fill one up with your host/hostess’s favorite little candy or nuts.  They’ll love it year-round.  And you’ll always know what to get them for the next party...a refill of their favorite candy or nuts.  

​5.  Christmas Stocking Surprise
Break away from the traditional gift basket and give your host/hostess a holiday stocking full of surprises.  Christmas stockings are a favorite for everyone.  It’s one gift with bunches of gifts inside. 
 
To fill your stockings, stop by one of the newest shops in the Village, 20 and Below (Building 25).  It’s stocking stuffer central.  Everything is new, organized, and there’s everything from the practical to the whimsical for men, woman, and children.  You can pick a theme, fill it with tool and supply items, or go with hats and gloves...there’s so much at 20 and Below you’ll probably fill a few stockings.

6.  Traditional Charm
If you want to go with something a little more traditional, take a look inside another new store at the Village, Butterflies and Heliotrope (Building 10E).  Two retired florists have just opened up a shop here and they’ve brought in a beautiful selection of wreaths, wall plaques, and gift sets.  It’s the perfect place to find something heartfelt and handmade.

We’ve just given you 6 host and hostess gift ideas, but with nearly 50 shops in the Village, there’s literally thousands of unique items that would make a great gift.  There’s everything from the new to the nostalgic to the handcrafted.  And of course, host and hostess gifts aren’t all you’ll find here.  There’s truly something for everyone, you just have to stop in and visit each shop to see all that they have to offer.

​The New Egypt Flea Market Village is open every Wednesday and Sunday from 8 am to 2pm, year-round, rain or shine.  We’re one of the last of the old-time markets featuring 40+ buildings each an independently run shop, plus plenty of table vendors with everything from antiques, vintage toys, furniture, handcrafted goods, homemade jams and jellies, great bargains on new items, and thrifty second-hand finds.
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Once again this year, Santa is visiting his home-away-from-home here at the New Egypt Flea Market Village.  Bring your Christmas list and favorite wish to share with Santa.

Santa arrives at the Market on Small Business Saturday, November 25th at 10 am.  He knows how hard his elves work and that every small business owner works just as hard.  So, this year, he’s making his first trip down from the North Pole to help the New Egypt Flea Market Village celebrate Small Business Saturday. 

But that’s not his only visit to the New Egypt Flea Market Village!  He’ll be at the Market in Building 6E several times throughout the holidays for photos and to hear what your wish is for Christmas.  He’ll even give us a special treat on December 3rd when he visits the Poetry and Arts Barn, Building #43, to read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
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Here’s Santa’s Schedule:
Saturday, November 25th, 10 am to 2pm – Bring your wish list and camera for a photo.
Sunday, November 26th, 10 am to 2 pm – Bring your wish list and camera for a photo.
Sunday, December 3rd,  10 am to Noon – Bring your wish list and camera for a photo.
Sunday, December 3rd, 1 pm – Santa reads “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”
Sunday, December 10th,  10 am to Noon – Bring your wish list and camera for a photo.
Sunday, December 17th,  10 am to Noon – Bring your wish list and camera for a photo.
Sunday, December 24th,  10 am to Noon – Christmas Eve -Bring your wish list and camera for a photo.

 And maybe if we’re all really good and get on Santa’s “Nice List”, he might just give us a reading of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve!

There’s no charge for visiting Santa at his holiday home-away-from-home in Building 6E or joining us while he reads “’Twas the Night Before Christmas" ...but there is a little jar in case you’d like to drop in some funds to help Mrs. Clause buy more baking supplies.  Santa is on a strict cookie diet, and boy, does Mrs. Clause have to do a lot of baking all year round.

There are over 40 shops at the New Egypt Flea Market Village that will be open from 8 am to 2pm every day that Santa is here (plus Wednesdays while Santa is off checking on things back at the North Pole).  We hope you’ll get some of your holiday shopping done while you’re at the Market. 

​While we know it’s tempting for parents to want to have a little alone time to go shopping, we do require that an adult remain with children while visiting Santa.  

You can find out more about Santa’s visits at the Almost Not A Mess Facebook Page.

For details on Santa reading “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” visit the Poetry and Arts Barn’s Facebook Page.


The New Egypt Flea Market Village is open every Wednesday and Sunday from 8 am to 2pm, year-round, rain or shine.  We’re one of the last of the old-time markets featuring 40+ buildings each an independently run shop, plus plenty of table vendors with everything from antiques, vintage toys, furniture, handcrafted goods, homemade jams and jellies, great bargains on new items, and thrifty second-hand finds.

From all of us at the New Egypt Flea Market Village to all of those who have served, are currently serving, and to the families of the brave men and women that protect our freedom, we give you our heartfelt thank you and we want you to know that we are always grateful for your service and sacrifice.
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We also want to extend a special thank you to those veterans who regularly visit the market.  Many of you have become a part of the New Egypt family.  We see you sometimes every market day.  You’ve welcomed our new vendors as though they were your own new neighbors.  You’ve supported our established vendors for years.  Without you, the market would not be the same.  And without your service, America would not be the same.  We cannot thank you enough for both your service to our country and for the support you have given to all of us here at the market.  Thank you.

The New Egypt Flea Market Village is also home to several veteran owned businesses.  Some of these shops are easy to recognize by a “Veteran Owned” sign.  Other merchants quietly run their shops and only mention their service when asked.  We invite everyone to come to the market and ask around about which shops are veteran owned.  Give them a visit.  Stop in and say thank you.  Not only do they have treasures to sell, they themselves are a treasure with a story to tell.

While we are taking today to say a special thank you, many of our merchants say their own thanks year-round by offering discounts to both veterans and active service members.  If you’re a veteran or are currently in the military and you find something in a shop that you’d like to buy, let vendor know.  Many, if not most, will  gladly give a discount. 
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Thank you again to all who have served and to those who continue to serve and protect our country.
 
*Written in collaboration with various vendors at the New Egypt Flea Market Village.
 
The New Egypt Flea Market Village is open every Wednesday and Sunday from 8 am to 2pm, year-round, rain or shine.  We’re one of the last of the old-time markets featuring 40+ buildings each an independently run shop, plus plenty of table vendors with everything from antiques, vintage toys, furniture, handcrafted goods, homemade jams and jellies, great bargains on new items, and thrifty second-hand finds.