Christmas in Cumberland County, NJ: Part 1

The holiday season revs up early for the small town of Millville, NJ. Between factory surplus shopping to special events, you're sure to find a variety of items for those hard to buy relatives.

First off, be sure to hop in line to view the surplus. Factories such as T-Fal, Arc International (makers of the Luminarc brand glass ware), and Santa's Best offer special sales at way below any department store prices.

Arc and Santa's Best offer their sales on Fridays & Saturdays. Be prepared to wait in line. They only allow so many shoppers in at a time. The "store" is set up as stacks of merchandise laid out in rows in part of the warehouse. It's a good idea to also bring a cart, or even the kid's stroller, to carry your selected items. Also bring cash; they don't accept checks.

Located behind T-Fal, on Eden Rd. in the Millville Industrial Park, is the outlet store for the local factories. From Rt. 55, take exit #24; go south on Rt. 49. At the traffic light, turn left. Along the way to Eden Rd., you'll see signs directing you to the surplus sale locations

Once you're finished stocking up on Christmas and glass buys, head south on Rt. 49 to the Millville Arts District. There are dozens of shops offering a variety of items from art, collectibles, antiques, books, and more.

If you plan your trip for the third Friday of the month, or the second Saturday, you'll find many more activities. From Christmas carriage rides to special sales; wine and luscious finger foods at the Renaissance Riverfront Center for the Arts (RRCA) - where you can check out the art on display, to much more. Visit www.millvillecity.org for exact dates and times of special events.

The annual Millville Christmas Parade is set for 7 p.m., Friday, November 24, along High Street. Be sure to bring your lists; Santa always makes an appearance along with his elves. Bring a lawn chair and a blanket to keep warm. It's traditionally chilly for the parade. (And loud with attendance from most of the county's fire departments and EMT squads.)

On December 15, there's a special treat at the RRCA: you get to view the artwork of the area's younger talent. Items from children's classes offered by the RRCA will be on display with a special event in the evening for the participating children.

For the history buff, check out the Millville Army Air Field Museum, located in the Millville Airport, Cedarville Rd. Millville Airport is the nation's first defensive airport and served as a training ground for pilots during WWII. The museum offers a multitude of artifacts, from uniforms to plane parts, correspondence to memorials; all are from the era and the staff are always willing to share anecdotes that have been passed down generation to generation. The museum is open 9 a.m.-4p.m. weekends and 10 a.m.-2p.m. during the week. Admission is free although donations are greatly appreciated.

The museum also houses artifacts from the Sea Plane Museum that used to be located across the Delaware in Pennsylvania. On your way out, check out the building. The museum is located in one of the original buildings from the WWII days.

And don't forget to stop at historic Wheaton Village. The quaint shops are decked out for Christmas with hundreds of hand-made glass ornaments and more. And who can resist nickel candy? When you're done shopping, visit the glass museum, or watch the endangered art of glass-blowing. Millville has always been a center of the glass industry; even the poet Carl Sandburg mentioned Millville and the glass fires. So don't miss out on a glimpse of inspiration to a great poet, and to many more.

If you need to keep the kids occupied while you shop, check out the train ride through Wheaton Village's wooded land. It's a quick ride, and included with admission to the Village, but lots of fun. If you're just shopping, no admission fee will be charged.

For the art collector on your list, you can find many downtown shops with a variety of work from local artists. Offerings include photography to paintings, to African collectibles and sculpture, to metal working and more.

Need to put up your feet and relax after all that bargain buying? Stop by and sample any of the numerous restaurants. Looking for high class dining? Eat at Winfield's. Want something good but not as pricey? Check out Sammy J's or the Oar House, or BoJo's. The majority of downtown shops and restaurants are located on High Street, or on the side streets off of High Street. Directories are available at the RRCA.

And if you are just seeking plain simple fare . . . High Street also is home to McDonald's, Wendy's, and KFC. You can also find the more traditional shopping places as well - but why would you want to do that? Millville has so many unique things to offer!