The Christmas spirit will hit Dockyard on Saturday with lots of activities to get you in the mood for the holidays.

You can start your shopping early and learn a few craft secrets on how to make your very own Christmas ornaments or you can join in the carolling.

Chairman of the Craft Market, Kitten Ellison, said the Maritime Lane Marketing group organised the Christmas at Maritime Lane, Dockyard.

The organisation aims to promote the business interest of members and to foster beneficial relations between member organisations and the Dockyard community.

"We consist of Bermuda Clayworks, Snorkel Parks, Maritime Museum, The Art Centre, Frog and Onion, and the Bermuda Craft Market, and we hope to have all the other people on Maritime Lane on board in 1998,'' Ms Ellison said.

She added: "We work together to give something a little extra to the visitors and this particular event is a pre-Christmas event to let people know what is going on in our part of Dockyard, to help promote the Maritime Museum and to let people know we have hassle free shopping.'' Ms Ellison said the day starts at 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. bringing together all types of arts and crafts which will also "give children something to work towards for Christmas.

"In particular the Arts Centre and Craft Market want to ensure that children know that arts and crafts are a way of life.

"Kids can come out and make ornaments, carve pumpkins, sing Christmas carols, listen to stories, talk to Santa Claus and be photographed with him along with sending their letters to him,'' Ms Ellison added.

She also said the idea of the day is to get people in the Christmas mood through arts and crafts and also to let them know what "we have up here and they can also go to the Clocktower mall for more shopping.'' Axel Bubenzer, who is a glass artist, will be selling his Christmas tree frogs. Each little green frog, which is no more than an inch big, is decorated with a Christmas hat.

"I will be donating a dollar from the sale of each tree frog, on Saturday, to the Sunshine League,'' Mr. Bubenzer said.

He added that although the idea for the tree frog was not initially his the design is.

Chairman of the Maritime Lane Marketing Group, Jacqueline Horsfield, said there will be lots of activities going on.

"Kids will be making Christmas tree ornaments with the Children's Museum Society and they will be making one ornament to stay to decorate the tree in Dockyard and the other they can take home.'' She added that the ornaments children will make will follow the Maritime theme. They will be simple ornaments some of which they can put pictures in.

"We hope people will also bring donations for the tree such as non-perishable items or presents for the children at the Sunshine League,'' Mrs. Horsfield said.

She added "We chose to focus on the Sunshine League because Axel came up with the idea and the fact that Christmas is really about children.'' Mrs. Horsfield also said the organisation wants to promote the Maritime Museum as a place for families to come together and visit throughout the year.

"Bermuda Clayworks is donating 1,000 vases for kids to paint, with acrylic paints, and take away with them. They can give them away as presents.

"We will also try and make the longest paper chain and break the world record which is over 40 miles long,'' Mrs. Horsfield said.

She added: "What we are trying to do is set the Bermuda record and we are going to put in an attempt for the Guinness Book of Records. This will be done by the children and director of the Maritime Museum Dr. Edward Harris will verify the attempts.'' Mrs. Horsfield also said that students at Saltus and kids at a few nursery schools are already starting to put together their chains which will be added to the main chain at Dockyard.

"People can use any type of paper. it's a great way of recycle.'' Kids can also take part in the reenactment of the "Attack on Washington'' There will also be a book signing at the Craft Market.

To get you really in the mood for Christmas, the Children's Museum Society will also conduct Christmas story telling throughout the late afternoon.

After that, everyone's invited to join in the carol singing procession which starts and 5.30 p.m.

SMALL WONDERS -- Glass artist Alex Bubenzer's delicate tree frogs can be found at the Dockyard Craft Market.

GIFT OF GLASS -- A lot of painstaking work goes into each sculpted glass tree frog made by Alex Bubenzer. Tomorrow, Mr. Bubenzer will donate $1 from the sale of his Christmas tree frogs to the Sunshine League.