A child looks at Christmas decorations at the Assistance League’s Christmas Bazaar.
The Assistance League of Carlsbad tried something new this holiday season.
For the first time in 50 years, the philanthropic group will not hold their annual Christmas Home Tour.
Instead, they held a Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, selling baked goods and Christmas wares meticulously crafted by Assistance League members.
“It’s been wonderful,” Assistance League member Cindy Elkins said. “There’s been a wonderful response.”
Elkins, who heads the league’s fundraising efforts, said they couldn’t find enough homeowners to participate in the home tour this year.
The home tour has taken place in Carlsbad since 1965.
Last year’s tour raised $4,000, and the group is hopeful the bazaar will make near that amount.
As of 2 p.m. Saturday, with two hours of selling left, they had raised more than $3,000.
The league’s annual Christmas tree auction in October raised between $47,000 and $48,000, treasurer Diann Malone said.
The group will also hold a fundraiser dinner in March.
The Assistance League’s main project in Carlsbad is providing brand new school clothes to children in need. They clothed 850 children this school year.
Elkins said the moratorium on the home tour may not be permanent.
“We’ll just have to see what next year brings,” she said.
