MONTMARTRE, Sask. – A group of rural women has come up with a moving idea that they say will put the fun back into the Christmas season.
The first annual Women on Wheels bus tour will hit the road Dec. 5, taking urban shoppers to three Saskatchewan towns for a taste of rural hospitality.
“I think all of our box store shopping, with long lines and impersonal service, has made us lose a bit of what Christmas is all about,” said tour organizer Jolene Dusyk.
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“What we’re trying to do is put that personal feel back into the mix, and give women an experience that supports small-town artisans and businesses, and at the same time takes the stress out of Christmas shopping.”
A 56-passenger bus will transport Regina women to Montmartre, Kipling and Carlyle, offering them in-store extras such as cranberry cider, live music, gourmet dip tasting and photos with Santa.
“I think when people think shopping, they assume they have to go to the city to get the things they want,” said Nancy Matthewson, owner of Carlyle Home Hardware and one of 12 businesspeople participating in the tour.
“Many people don’t realize that our rural stores have all kinds of unique Christmas decorations and gift items, and a lot of the time, things are cheaper here.”
In 2006, Renate Selinger of Montmartre initiated the inaugural rural Christmas shopping tour by suggesting shoppers visit several area towns to support local retailers.
The shopping trip became so popular that this year a bus was chartered and the tour is expected to include 100 women who will visit 12 Women on Wheels rural stores, ending up at Carlyle’s Dickens Village Festival.
Marie Anne Fournier, owner of Sisters’ Boutique and Bistro in Montmartre, said some people might assume shopping choices will be limited in rural towns, but the opposite is true.
“At our boutique, we’ve been able to attract top Canadian fashion designers, many of whom have chosen us as their only Saskatchewan retailer.”
She said her store also features locally made jewelry and artwork.
“City stores might have quantity, but out here in our rural communities, we have quality and we have that original item that will be the talk of Christmas morning.”
Dusyk said women who join the tour will also have a chance to connect with the people behind the Christmas gifts they buy.
“For example, I’m going to be demonstrating how I melt glass for the beads in my jewelry, so when someone buys one of my necklaces, they have a gift, but they also have a story about how it was made, who created it and where it came from.”
