Written by Colleen Coleman of CMC Design studio LLC

[From the 2025 Holiday Magazine]

Colleen Coleman is the Principal of  CMC Design Studio LLC located in Saratoga Springs. With certifications in Kitchen & Bath Design, Aging in Place and True Color Expert, her curated design extends into all areas of her field including new construction, historical and major renovations. Her passion is in designing & customizing hand-crafted cabinets for all areas of the residential market.

It’s been a great year! I’ve managed to keep the Old Building and Loan afloat for another year with the help of Uncle Billy, Tilly and Eustace. I’m quite a fortunate man ya know. I had the chance to see what life would be like if I wasn’t born. What an experience!
A pox upon me for a clumsy lout…It’s George…George Bailey!
I wish I had a million dollars…Hot Dog!

I really am one grateful guy, surrounded by all my family and friends, even Clarence my guardian angel, who pitched in a few years ago when I was in a tough spot! Knowing how much everyone in my life means to me, I want to be sure to get them all something memorable for Christmas. I haven’t much time, so I best hurry! Saratoga Springs is just across the way a bit, that’s where I’ll find unique ideas! Come with me…I know many of the shops are filled with gift giving ideas, even for tough-to-shop-for-folks like Mr. Potter!

Speaking of which, my first stop will be at Impressions of Saratoga where they always have the Peppermint Pig Noel Kits. Traditionally, these pigs represent good health, happiness and prosperity… Mr. Potter will really appreciate that! The kit includes the peppermint pig, a mallet and bag to break the pig in. Potter can either get some frustration out or hammer away wishing for more prosperity! Either way…it’s a perfect gift for someone who has everything! And if you only need a pig…they have that as well! Now, you all know Clarence Odbody loves bells. And…Wait till you see this Amish Hand Crafted Red Leather Strap with Solid Brass Bells and Horse Medallion! A one-of-a-kind gift for a one-of-a-kind angel! Tethered with eight different sized solid brass bells in descending order, I’m sure plenty of second-class angels will find their wings when he shakes this up a bit! And you know how Ernie Bishop loves to drive his taxi about town…well, I thought maybe he would get a kick out of this Truck Snow Globe giving a few pups a ride instead. Operated by batteries or plugged in, he and his family will love the soft glow it gives and the cheeriness of the pups with Santa! And look what I found for Violet Bick…a Mini Clear Calista Handbag with Interchangeable Bow! She won’t have to worry about taking her bag into SPAC concerts anymore and she will definitely love being able to change out her bows as often as her hats!

Impressions of Saratoga

368 Broadway, Saratoga Springs
ImpressionsSaratoga.com | 518-587-0666

Time to head a bit north on Broadway to Dark Horse Mercantile where I found the perfect gift for Ruth Dakin Bailey, my sister-in-law... a Replica Metal Toy Rocking Horse! She loves all things traditional and would fancy using the included key to wind up the horse and see it dance on her table! It’s the simple things in life that make life so… wonderful! And for my cousin Tilly who works so hard answering the phones at the bank, I found this Paddywax Rosemary & Sea Salt Candles made of pure soy wax! Clean, longer burning times, throws a better scent, even melting and more! Tilly is going to love this!! In case you’re interested, there’s five other scents to pick from including Worn Leather & Smoke, Tabacco & Patchouli, Cactus Flower & Aloe, Redwoods & Amber, and Black Fig & Olive. There’s something there for everyone!! And one last find... a Racing Horse Bar Mat for Nick the Bartender. He can make a great drink but even the best can have spills or scratch the wooden bar top. This will be a perfect gift to keep his bar clean and tidy!

Dark Horse Mercantile

445 Broadway, Saratoga Springs
ImpressionsSaratoga.com | 518-587-0689

To Nick

Now, for Mary Bailey, my ever patient and sweet wife…I know she deals with that drafty old house every day and deserves some new appliances to keep up with the demands of our growing family. So, down to Earl B. Feiden Appliance in Latham I go! I thought to myself…What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Or how about a Big Chill 33" Retro Original Fridge in Beach Blue! With 20.5 cubic feet of refrigeration, how could I go wrong?! It’s vintage inspired details with a stamped metal body, chrome trim and ice box pivoting pull all update our kitchen with a little color and pizzazz! It even offers interior LED lighting and an ice maker! Hot Dog! And for being the prettiest girl in town…she also deserves a color coordinating Big Chill 30” Electric Wall Oven! We actually have options to install it in the wall, a kitchen island or even stack two vertically or horizontally! So nostalgic without compromising on modern technology! It’s stainless steal body offers 4 cubic feet of oven capacity, convection, heavy-duty full-extension racks and can accommodate full-sized 18” x 26” baking sheets…that’s a lot of Christmas cookies! This gift just might be a little self-indulgent…A very interesting situation! I may not be able to take her on fancy vacations, but every day would be a beach day with these! Now I can’t forget my mother, Ma Bailey. She works so hard running that Boarding House that I thought getting her a Big Chill 24" Retro Dishwasher in lieu of washing dishes by hand would be a big help! With a whisper quiet performance washing three full racks and a hard food disposer, she’s going to love all the free time she gains and maybe relax a little! And the stamped metal body and chrome trim are just what her kitchen needs to move it into the next century!

Earl B. Feiden Appliance

1771 U.S. 9, Clifton Park | 518-383-2215
785 U.S. 9, Latham | 518-785-8555

EarlBFeiden.com

To Mary Bailey

To Ma Bailey

Heading back to Saratoga, I stopped into Accents at Allerdice in Malta. What a great little shop packed with so many goodies! Uncle Billy loves animals so I thought these Faux Wooden Reindeer would be a nice addition to his covered front porch. The sweet red scarves add a festive pop to these individually sold fawns. The large one stands 36” tall while the seated deer is a mere 24” tall. Both so adorable…and he won’t have to remember to feed them! Mr. Martini always decorates his bar for the holidays so I’ll pick him up a set of these 24” XL Red Jingle Bells to hang just outside at the entryway! They even jingle when you shake them…more angels will be getting their wings! The silver metal bow and loop adds a nice touch and makes them easy to hang anywhere! There’s only two in the shop so if I don’t get them now, they’ll be gone! For my kids, we always get them something special for their stockings hung by the fireplace. This year I found these 4” Acrylic Holiday Light Bulbs, in five different colors…one for each of my kids and Mary! Boy our tree is going to look lovely this year! Now, I just need a little holiday décor for the bank…Ahh... a 19” Tall Ceramic Snowman with Lights! Perfect for the bank counter to keep everyone in good spirits. Its battery operated so I don’t have to worry about having an outlet nearby. Isn’t he adorable with the red birds and his tall black top hat?

Accents at Allerdice

2570 U.S. 9, Malta
Allerdice.com | 518-899-6222

Now, Sam Wainwright, he-haw, is a tough guy to buy gifts for. He has everything! But I just so happened to walk into The Furniture House and spy this Gatsby Chair with a Custom Hand-painted Horse Racing Scene. It’s a unique gift and he’s surely going to cherish it as he loves going to Saratoga for the races! It’s elegant to appease his wife, Jane, with graceful rounded arms… and the tailored seams offer a refined silhouette of grandeur, sophisticated enough for the Wainwright household! For my baby brother, Harry Bailey, I thought a Brass Frankie Bust, a pipe smoking buck much like myself, would be fun. The guy loves research but admires his older brother’s lure when he smokes his pipe…at least when he goes home to Rochester after the holidays, he’ll have a little piece of me with him! There are other characters to choose from as well, like the bespeckled fox, a mustached hare, a monocled moose and a bow-tied mouse. All of them are whimsical and make great decorations as well!

The Furniture House

1254 NY-9P, Saratoga Springs
TheFurnitureHouseNY.com | 518-587-9865

Any chocolate lovers out there on your gift giving list? Boy did I hit it big when I arrived at Finishing Touches and found their decadent chocolate section, all hand poured, offering these scrumptious Moonshine Chocolate Truffle Bars. I’m actually going to give these to Bert the Police Officer as he once had romance in him but got rid of it. Ya gotta feel for the Mrs…Maybe some chocolates around the house would sweeten him up! Let me give you a little hint as to what I chose from top to bottom: Chocolate Covered Strawberry, White Chocolate Peanut Butter, Tiramisu, Chocolate Mint, Cookies n’ Cream, Chocolate Cheesecake, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Mocha Madness, Chocolate Mint and Chocolate Coconut! I think that makes for a delectable gift…nice color palette too! Let me not forget my mother-in-law, Mrs. Hatch! How she loves to decorate at the holidays, it’s where Mary gets it from! For her holiday table, I found an assortment of Decorative Soy Candles in different shapes, sizes and colors. She’ll love mixing and matching them to make her table shimmer by candlelight! And for her tree, I couldn’t help but pick up a few of the Handmade Christmas Ornaments by Sandy Garbrandt. Each piece is distinctly designed with a winter or holiday theme with a quote on the back. Little details make them so exceptional like faux pearls and diamonds, holiday sheet music and carefully carved snowflakes of wood. I know they only have a limited supply so I better pick them up while they last!

Finishing Touches Home Decor

450 E High Street, Ballston Spa
FinishingTouchesStore.com | 518-584-1490

My last stop is for Mr. Gower…remember him? I used to work for him as a kid at his drugstore. Ah, scooping out ice cream and making deliveries when needed. Well, I just so happened to visit Granite & Marble Works and spotted this Onyx Onice Black Slab measuring 117x69…a perfect selection for his new countertops at the store! The colors reminded me of coconut swirled with caramel and chocolate syrup! And the best part, if he added LED lights underneath, this stone will actually light up! Wait ‘til the customers see this installed!

That’s it…I believe I found something for everyone on my list! How about you? Well, if not, be sure to shop at all these fabulous local stores to find unique gifts that will make your friends and family smile all year long!

Merry Christmas Everyone and Happy New Year!

- Your old Building and Loan pal…
George Bailey

Granite &
Marble Works

8 Commerce Park Drive, Wilton
GraniteAndMarbleworks.com
518-584-2800