With Christmas about a week away, the Sugar & Spice Country Shop, 98 Montcalm Street, Ticonderoga, sparkles with holiday decorations of all kinds. But holiday ornamentation is only the seasonal icing on this vast collection of decorative, yet practical gifts, home furnishings, and accessories for everyone. The entire shop emits a distinctive, country flair, with just a touch of primitive that relaxes and comforts you; like that favorite easy chair at home. You swear there must be cookies, maybe even an apple pie, baking in a back room somewhere as you slowly step inside trying to take in all the delightfully warm colors and scents, the soft patinas of the time-honored décor. You do not want to miss a single thing. The atmosphere melts away any stresses and encourages you to linger, explore, sniff and touch.

Robin McGrath, owner of the shop, definitely has agenius for display. Every nook and cranny artfully exhibits unique country furnishings arranged and surrounded with decorative, functional, must-have objects exuding an old-world, yet simple, charm. A vast candle collection in every color, shape and scent are waiting to fill every vacant stick or holder. A country cupboard reveals a vast array of preserves, sauces, marinades, and other goodies to tempt every palette. Another will tease your sense of smell filled with soaps, scented oils, potpourris and lotions. Here you forced to linger while identifying the different scents and fragrances that bring nothing but pleasant thoughts into your head.

Adding an extra element of fun during your shopping venture is the discovery that throughout the shop you are compelled to read! Like captions beneath photographs, a never ending variety of inspirational quotes and text on hand-painted signs of every dimension coerce you to stop.....take-in.....and digest the message. Most will have you nodding or smiling softly to yourself while the perfect recipient springs to mind.

You will be oh, so tempted when you enter the Vera Bradley corner! Popping lively colors on cotton print quilted totes, handbags, scarves, wallets,.... all kinds of accessories, are a feast for the eyes. Not only pretty, but functional you will immediately understand why this collection is a perfect fit for the Sugar and Spice Country Shoppe where the underlying theme may be decorative yet practical...functional....useful.

It's been years since I've had to find a gift for a youngster. Nevertheless I remember the endless search for something unusual that would appeal, yet spark creativity or imagination; something other than "big-box-plastic". Entering the children's corner I finally found the perfect collection of games, toys, puzzles, books that would absolutely delight a youngster, yet stimulate the brain. Once I learned that Robin is a former kindergarten and first grade teacher I understood her special talent for gathering just the right assortment.

Despite spending considerable holiday shopping time at the Sugar and Spice Country Shoppe, I can't wait to return. I just know there will be a new flavor to this shop after the holidays and many more treasures to discover.