Kraybill Mennonite School will host its eighth annual Christmas at Kraybill Craft Fair and Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school, 598 Kraybill Church Road, Mount Joy.

"The craft fair is a festive and fun community event that helps support local artisans and crafters, along with raising funds for special programs at Kraybill," said Trish Hopper, Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) volunteer and Christmas event coordinator. "This event features local artisans, crafters and vendors selling handmade items, such as jewelry, quilts, ornaments and home decor, along with local honey, children's toys and books. This year also features a student makers' market featuring Kraybill students and their handmade goods."

Baked goods and homemade items will also be for sale, including gingerbread cookie decorating kits, complete with a bakery-made 6-inch gingerbread man cookie, icing and a variety of decorations.

"These kits are a favorite item every year, and both individual cookie kits and family packs of four cookies will be available," Hopper said.

At noon, there will be a free showing of the movie "The Grinch" to help entertain younger guests, and the festivities will also include the fifth annual chili and brisket cook-off.

"The cook-off was the idea of several parents at the school that thought a cook-off would add to the enjoyment and attendance of our Christmas at Kraybill event," Hopper explained. "Gene Wenger's Meats and Fine Foods of Elizabethtown donates over 100 pounds of brisket that is then cooked by the competitors. This competition is for home chefs and is very popular."

Prizes will be awarded to the first-place winners for best chili and best brisket. The deadline to enter the cook-off is Friday, Nov. 13.

Tastings will be open to the public beginning at 11 a.m. on Nov. 21 and will continue until sold out. Voting will end at 12:30 p.m., and winners will be announced at 1 p.m. at the event.

Along with providing fun for school families and the wider community, Christmas at Kraybill is the main fundraiser for the PTF Committee, which supports special educational and extracurricular events at the school, including roller skating nights for students, family picnics and special acts of appreciation for teachers and staff.

"A highlight of the PTF's programs includes the addition of an after-school chess club and drama club," Hopper said. "The concession stand is a special fundraiser to support the seventh- and eighth-grade trip to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. It will feature various food items, snacks and bottled drinks."

She emphasized that Christmas at Kraybill has two main goals: to provide a fun event and to reach out to people beyond the school.

"Attendees enjoy the festive atmosphere and great variety of vendors that we have each year at the craft fair. It's a great place to do some Christmas shopping and support local businesses," she said. "Kraybill values our whole community. This event allows current and past families, along with our broader community, an opportunity to fellowship together while supporting local artisans and businesses."

For more information, search for "Christmas at Kraybill" on Facebook.