The following is taken from Gerb's column from this week's SNJ (Nov 28).

It’s December 1 this Saturday and as is the norm for December, every stallholder who has been at the market during the year wants to be there.

This means there will be plenty of stalls down lower Union Street by Salt Bakehouse.

Look out for Kalya skin treatments who are there for their only stall in December and the same applies to Tania Harvey Silversmith, Escento Soaps, Dizzibirds textiles, Corinium Ales and Simon Roberts Candles - last chance before Christmas!

Fungusloci, Stroud’s own oyster mushroom grower, returns after a lengthy absence, and will be at market throughout December with his spore laden coffee bags that grow beautiful mushrooms.

It is too early to be buying most foods for the festive period, apart from Christmas cakes and puddings (Faithfull’s, Country Girls, Jack Bakes), preserves (Lishkins, Country Girls), Honey (Horton’s, Brinkworth, Days) and drinks (Days, VQ country wines, Bow in the Cloud, Corinium Ale, Artisan Ale) but it would be wise to place orders.

Orders for poultry and meat are a must and this year we may also find certain vegetables in short supply after the dry summer so even veg ordering would be sensible. Day’s Cottage have lots of apples in the cold store with plenty of varieties available every Saturday, so no worries there.

If the whole idea of Christmas shopping is too much right now, don’t worry. There are three more markets after this one and there are always Pippin Doughnuts to keep your energy up.