VALDOSTA — The Christmas spirit is alive and well at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center.

The Merry Marketplace, presented by the Valdosta Junior Service League, continues today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hundreds flocked to the conference center on Saturday to check out the myriad of vendors.

Christmas decorations brought the holiday cheer as guests perused paintings, bird houses, glassware, jewelry, pocketbooks, clothes and food.

Bunyon Mitchell of Uncle Bunyon’s Woodcrafts said he had already sold 10 pieces of his hand-made wood bowls and utensils Saturday morning.

From Panama City, Mitchell’s dad had a woodworking shop that would inspire Mitchell years later to pick up a couple of books and learn how to make bowls, cutting boards and other items.

He has been working with wood for more than 15 years, he said.

“Its a real relaxing hobby,” Mitchell said.

Due to disease and human impact the variety of wood available has steadily dwindled through the years, he said.

The wood Mitchell uses comes from trees that are being cut down because they are too close to a person’s house, are tearing up a driveway or are taken down for road construction, he said.

He has used wood from Georgia and as far away as California, he said.

It takes about seven months from start to finish to complete a bowl, Mitchell said.

Santa Claus was also on hand to get wish lists from children and have their pictures made.

Raynae Williams from Stockton, Ga., was extolling the virtues of bees and honey at her Georgia Bee Pretty booth.

She and her partner Holly have more than 500 hives of bees and all the products, from the beeswax candles to the gallberry honey, come from the hives, Williams said.