Gabriel's Garden will have three different holiday themes at its Open House this week.
Updated 10:50 a.m. Monday By CARRIE McCLOUD Brentwood Home Page intern It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. That means holiday specials and promotions are just around the corner. For many stores, it also means the time has come for this season’s open house events – with several planned as early as this week.
Kicking off the week of special events, the owner of Accentuate Your Home (93 Seaboard Lane, Suite 10), Ashley Myers, hosted an open house Monday and has items on sale all week to not only mark the beginning of a sale on various store items, but to marksthe store’s four-year anniversary.
Following right behind, Valentine Interiors, located on Franklin Road between Concord Road and Moore's Lane, is hosting a Holiday Open House Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
At Gabriel’s Garden (101 Creekside Crossing, Suite 1000), the festivities kick off with an opening reception on Thursday from 4-9 p.m., and sales lasting until Saturday. The party will include wine and hors d’oeurves, as well as sales of 25 percent off on all Christmas items. “In addition, we will feature a table of ‘Gifts Galore’ with gift ideas priced at $9.95, $19.95 and $29.95,” says owner Richie Edwards.
This year, Gabriel’s Garden features three main holiday themes entitled Silver Snowfall, Merry and Bright and Holiday Dreams. Each collection embodies different colors and accents, as well as a kid’s themed collection of unbreakable ornaments and gifts. Following the holiday open house, the store will extend its hours to include every Sunday afternoon from 1-5 p.m. leading up until Christmas.
At Pear Tree Avenue (H.G. Hill Center, Franklin Road),a holiday open house will take place on Wednesday from 3-7 p.m. “Customers will be able to see all our new arrivals. The store is decked out for the holidays. We have turned it into a winter wonderland,” says Emily Williams.
This year, the first 100 people to become Facebook fans of the store will be entered into a drawing for a free gift to take place during the event on Thursday. The store’s Facebook page features a take on Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, a story book accompanied by an elf plush toy that parents secretly hide in different places throughout their home for their children to discover. Pear Tree has its own “elf on the shelf” named Calvin, who’s hiding places in items throughout the store are featured on the Facebook page.
“We once found him in a Vera Bradley bag. He finds certain products to feature every couple of days,” says Williams. In a separate event, Pear Tree will host a book signing with Elf on the Shelf authors, Carol Aebersold and daughter Chanda Bell, on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m.
At Thursday’s reception, “We will have representatives from several companies that we order products from,” Williams says. In addition, Beatrix Ball, a new line of metal kitchen ware, will be available exclusively at Pear Tree. Other available gift options include The Mark Roberts Christmas Fairies Collection and new Faberge pieces.
The holiday preview party at Spruce (7028 Church St. E) comes at a perfect time this year. It coincides with the store’s first year birthday party on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 11 am-5 p.m. In addition, the store will host a charity toy drive. “If customers bring a toy to donate to YES (Youth Encouragement Services), they will receive a 15 percent gift certificate for all store items,” says owner Ashley Meier. YES is a Nashville-based organization with three different youth centers for the tutoring and mentoring of inner-city youths of low income families.
Beyond contributing to a good cause, customers can enjoy cupcakes supplied by Naticakes in Franklin, along with other beverages and treats. Brentwood Stationers (H.G. Hill Center, Franklin Road), a Hallmark Crown Gold Store, will host an event in conjunction with Hallmark’s Kick-off to Christmas Event on Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. All holiday items will be available at this time, many at a discounted price.
“There will be a number of promotions and special offers and we will have refreshments and cookies,” says Debbie Chismn. Gifts on sales throughout the season include the Peanuts Gang collectables, gingerbread cookie trays, Hallmark’s Musical Christmas Tree and Fun in the Fridge Snowman among others. Fresh Market’s “Taste of the Holidays Sampling Event” falls on Friday, from 12-6 p.m. and Saturday from 11-5 p.m. “We will feature prepared holiday dinners, meats, dessert items and much more,” says Carolyn Holmes. Displays of holiday foods will accompany several sampling stations offering free tastings of items from turkey, dressings, pies and puddings to eggnog. The store is in the H.G. Hill Shopping Center. Amy's Unique Gifts (7020 Church St. E) is waiting until after Thanksgiving to have an Open House, but when they do, it will be worth the wait. The date is Dec. 1 and all in-store merchandise will be marked 20 percent off.
For those planning their own holiday parties, local Publix stores are at your service. According to Jodi Glover of the Moore’s Lane location, all Publix stores in the Brentwood area will offer a service called “Start Something.”
"We will have an associate at each location to help with all your party planning needs from floral arrangements and dining to decorations,” Glover says. Every weekend between Nov.13 and Dec.29 including weeknends from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., associates will be present at each store. By visiting the one-stop party planning experts, “Customers can meet with a single person instead of having to go to each department,” Glover says.
