A grand Tyme on Market Street

There were no silver bells, but plenty of bustle as Christmas Tyme in Colusa returned to Market Street on Friday night.

"It's back home where it belongs," shouted one excited patron, who quickly had to run off to catch his dog, which was dressed up in its own Santa suit.

Couples walked hand-in-hand, and old friends laughed and carried on as if they had not seen each other for years.

But the biggest smile of them all was on the face of Marilyn Acree, who headed up the committee that brought the 17th annual Christmas time event back to where it started.

"Beyond pleased," Acree, a newly seated Colusa councilwoman, said Tuesday.

"I'm thrilled. ... I have never seen so many people."

Of course, Santa Claus (John Daniels of Willows) was kept busy jotting down Christmas wishes, and checking them against his list of those who had been naughty or nice.

Seven-year-old Payton Brothers of Yuba City was sticking to her story that she had been good and deserved the Monster High Doll she asked for from the Jolly Old Elf.

Her little sister, Alainna Brothers, 4, was all smiles after she asked Santa for a Dream Light.

But Chloe Duffey, 5, of Colusa, was not going to give away her secret. What she wanted for Christmas was between she and Santa.

Katie Jacobs and Crystal Heidrick took home an early stocking stuffer by winning the $750 first prize for the Tractor Decorating Contest.

Not only did they have a beautiful tractor, but Heidrick dressed up her two boys — Nicholas and David — as Santa and an elf to draw attention to the entry.

Eva Briomez of Williams also had a wish granted when she won the decorated Christmas tree donated by the Colusa County Garden Club.

It was delivered to her home on Monday.

Marie Critchfield of Wild Hair won the $300 from the Chamber of Commerce for the window decorating contest.

The event stretched from Third Street to Eighth Street, and while it was clear many of the 48 vendors expected at the event did not show, there were no complaints.

Some of the vendors said the crowd was not particularly in a buying mood, that is except for the variety of food and other edible goodies that were offered.

But even that did not seem to matter.

"We've been doing this the last five years," said Anne Denny of Arbuckle, who along with her two daughters were selling jewelry and other crafts.

They started the business as an excuse to get together, since they live in different parts of the state.

Several Market Street shops did keep their doors open during the event, but clearly the attraction this year was just bringing the event back to Market Street and enjoying everyone's company.

The city approved $5,000 to cover its costs, but did not likely have to spend that much. The exact figure was not immediately available.

The organizing committee spent close to $4,000, all donations, and still has the $2,200 to $2,300 that original Old Tyme Christmas group had sitting in an account.

That group hosted the event for 14 years before it was moved to the area around the historical courthouse under the name of Hometown Christmas.