In Hanska, Santa Claus made a special visit from the North Pole Saturday at the Christmas in Hanska vendor show.

From 10-11 a.m., parents brought their kids to see the one and only Santa Claus. Plenty of pictures were taken and gifts were requested. Keith Brekken has been playing Santa Claus for 15 years, taking over the responsibility when his predecessor chose to retire. He said being Santa in Hanska over the years has a special energy.

“It seems like the families stay around,” Brekken said “At some of the other ones it seems like people just come and go. “There’s more of the community family orientated [spirit here].”

Even with changing trends and more modern toys, Brekken said this year Barbies and Legos were the most requested gifts from girls and boys. During the time he has played Santa, Brekken said it has been a very happy and enjoyable experience. He said part of this joy is looking the part of Santa, down to an authentic beard.

Photo by Daniel Olson. Jennifer Beckius (left) checks out the range of goat soaps brought by Bobby Miller and Megan Hoffmann of Linden Livestock. The duo said they’re looking to expand with even more soap scents in the future.

“I like the real beard,” Brekken said. “When the kids ask me [if I’m real I pull on my beard] and their eyes get big. They say, ‘He’s the real Santa.'”

While Santa entertained the kids on the lower level, the upper level hosted a vendor show from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It gave opportunities to local artisans during the Christmas gift-buying rush.

Hanska-based Linden Livestock brought an assortment of goat milk soap bars, including seasonal scents like Cranberry Fig and Christmas Spice. Co-founder Megan Hoffmann said the soap came after they started raising goats, as regular soap made her hands break out and dry up.

“I wanted to try something more natural,” she said. “We were raising goats anyway so we decided to try the goat milk in soap to see if that would help resolve my skin issues. [When it did] some friends and family were like ‘Why don’t you try selling this stuff?'”

Hoffmann said the feedback on their soaps has been good, and being able to offer a helpful product for those with sensitive skin has been her biggest joy. Co-Founder Bobby Miller said they are grateful for shows like this, as it helps them advertise their other products.

Photo by Fritz Busch. Noelia Ramirez, left, of Sleepy Eye, and her son Norberto Sanchez Jr. of Sleepy Eye display a variety salsa flavors at the 5th Annual Sleepy Eye Craft and Vendor Show Sunday.

“It’s opened another avenue because we also offer goat meat,” he said. “We tap into that market as it works hand in hand and [helps us] be diverse.”

As the new year approaches, the couple said they are looking to keep expanding their retail presence, including in New Ulm, and to start selling their products online.

“A lot of our clients will recommend different scents for us to consider,” Hoffmann said. “One thing we’re looking at doing in the next year is adding a lot more earthy tones and some more masculine scents.”

In Sleepy Eye, having more garden tomatoes and peppers than he knew what to do with helped inspire Norberto Sanchez Jr. to create a wide variety of salsa flavors he displayed at the 5th Annual Sleepy Eye Craft and Vendor Show at the Sleepy Eye Event Center Sunday.

Canning jars contained hot, yellow hot habanero, super hot, hot red, hot green, medium pineapple jalapeno, tomatillo, mild yellow and mild salsa and spaghetti sauce were on display.

Salsa ingredients included tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, bullion, serranos (hot, chili peppers) and many other peppers including habanero, banana, super chili, Cajun bell and cayenne peppers.

“We grew tomatoes and peppers this year. Next year, we will try onions and garlic,” Sanchez said. “I work at Kraft Heinz in New Ulm and do weekend garden work.”

“We just started this year, mostly a farmer’s markets in Sleepy Eye,” he added. “Our salsa goes from mild to really hot. Tomatillo salsa is one of the most popular. They’re like a little tomato with a little wrap around it. It adds a little bit of a lime flavor, especially good with meat.”

Sanchez added that the salsa recipes came from his mother, Noelia Ramirez of Sleepy Eye.

Other salsa flavors offered at Sanchez’ show table included chamoy (similar to sweet and sour sauce) and chamoy candy.

“Chamoy is very popular in Mexico. People put it on gummies, fruit, even on beer and mixed drinks now-days,” he added. “A number of people sampled and said they liked some of the salsa flavors, some of which were added to grapes and pineapple, and said they liked them.”

Sanchez said chamoy can be found in Twin Cities Mexican outlets.

Across the aisle from Sanchez was Scott Hogen of Hogen’s Woodcrafts of New Ulm. Hogen displayed many homemade bird houses made of salvaged wood.

The Mankato Public Schools Director of Facilities and Safety, Hogen said he has spent much of his weeknights and weekends working with wood.

“We get a lot of old barn wood and pallets that we recycle to build bird houses, bird and squirrel feeders and holiday gifts,” Hogen said. “We’re recycling. Making something new out of it.”

He began working with wood during the COVID epidemic.

“I had to work out of my home office during COVID. I had extra time. I know I’m retiring in the next few years, so I started looking for something to do with,” Hogen said. “Years ago, my wife and I made wooden lawn ornaments we sold at the Randall’s stores. I got back into wood working.”

Hogen said he participates in downtown New Ulm craft shows during the summer and fall.

“After I retire, I’ll expand the shows I go to,” he added.

Other show vendors featured lefse, cookies, fudge, dog treats, handmade mittens, earrings, crochet animals and decor, buttercream soap, jewelry, cocktail infusions, tabletop spruce pots, doll clothes, quilts, jelly, and sewn baby items.

Show director Cortnie Mathiowetz said the show has grown to more than 40 vendors this year.

“We’re about full with 42 this year. We’ve talked about a spring show. They’re a lot of work,” said Mathiowetz. “Some vendors have been with us since we began five years ago. They call me and said they want the same spot. Thanks to all the shoppers that came out. That’s who we do it for. We couldn’t do it without them.”