November 19, 2025 Submitted by Alexis LeFort
The St. John’s Holiday Boutique is from 9am to 3pm Saturday, November 22nd at 172 Main Street, Hingham. The Boutique features more than 20 vendors selling items including handmade jewelry, clothing, artwork, children’s toys, and seasonal décor. It also includes a Needlepoint Guild Bake Sale, the long-running Holiday Bulb Booth, and a Café serving homemade soups, salads, and treats. Santa will be available for visits and photos from 10am to 1pm. This year, as a special 25th anniversary event, a youth choir will be performing holiday music at 1pm. An optional entry fee of $3 supports the Appalachian Service Project. For more details visit stjohns-hingham.org/holiday-boutique or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsHinghamHolidayBoutique.
What began as an experiment to replace an old-fashioned parish fair has become one of Hingham’s most beloved holiday traditions. This November, St. John’s Episcopal Church celebrates the 25th anniversary of its Holiday Boutique, an annual event that brings together artisans, local businesses, parish volunteers, and shoppers from across the South Shore. When Rector Emeritus Rev. Robert Edson, rector of St. John’s from 1981 to 2007, arrived at the parish, he inherited a long-standing tradition. “When I first came to St. John’s, the old-fashioned annual parish fair had been a tradition for many years,” he recalled. Edson credits parishioners with transforming the concept: “What came about was the idea of bringing in vendors who sold clothing, toys, books, jewelry, and artwork while also retaining the baked goods from past times. Serving a light lunch at the Café and the appearance of Santa Claus has been an added attraction. We thought a boutique selling high-end items might last four or five years, and here we are at 25!”
Founding organizer Amy Mills said the vision came from parishioner Meredith Graves, who showcased her antiques at boutiques across New England. She and Mills modeled the event after her favorite show at the Church of the Redeemer in Brookline. “Our goal was to raise money for some much-needed nursery upgrades, create a community-building event that would involve parishioners of all ages and showcase St. John’s to our community, and raise some funds for community outreach,” Mills said. The Boutique’s success, she said, depends on hundreds of volunteer hours and brings the parish together: “The event creates about 200 volunteer opportunities for parishioners—whether heading a committee, cooking for the café, decorating, setting up, or staffing during the event itself. There’s a job for every age, down to the children who help with Santa photos.”
The organizers work carefully each year to curate a mix of new and returning vendors. Some vendors, such as the Wooden Toy Junction and Sommers’ Bounty, have been fixtures for years. Mills emphasized that St. John’s reputation among vendors rests on its hospitality, saying, “We recruited a group of people to help them unload their merchandise when they arrive—unheard of at most events—and we arrange a nice dinner for them after set-up on Friday night. Those moments of gracious hospitality set St. John’s Holiday Boutique apart from many others.” She shared her favorite aspects of the Boutique: “Hundreds of people come into our church for the first time and they comment not only on the beauty of our sanctuary and stained-glass windows, but on the warmth and friendliness of our parishioners who they encounter through their shopping experience. Second is the feeling of community, pride, and satisfaction of our parish family working together to create a successful and meaningful event that impacts both our church and our community.”
Rev. Ed Thornley, current rector, sees the Boutique as a reflection of the parish’s vitality. “I have rarely known a parish with as much energy, joy, and desire to connect with their community as St. John’s,” he said. “The Holiday Boutique is a vibrant example of this, and one of the peak moments of our community’s calendar. It’s a wonderful way to connect with and support local organizations and businesses, raise money for important and good causes, and share in a genuine community spirit at the start of the most wonderful season of the year. I am very much looking forward to celebrating what will be the twenty-fifth anniversary edition of this event with our friends in Hingham and beyond!”
Building on that spirit, this year’s co-chair Nathaniel Hulme hopes the anniversary celebration strengthens the sense of shared tradition: “The Holiday Boutique is one of St. John’s treasured traditions, and we hope everyone in the community shares it with us and makes it a part of their own tradition, too!”
