On December 13th, the fourth New Century Christmas Market and Winter Wonderland event organized by New Century Company entered its second week. This year’s festive event with the theme of “Giving and Generosity” has received enthusiastic responses from local businesses and community members. Many people have conveyed their blessings for this wonderful holiday season through participating in the activities.
Despite Christmas still being two weeks away, the venue is already filled with a strong festive atmosphere. Bright lights illuminate the night sky, children sing classic Christmas carols in unison, accompanied by heartwarming live music performances, adding joy to the winter evenings.
At the market, the air is filled with the aroma of apple cider, hot cocoa, fried chicken, and various festive snacks. The decorations of Santa Claus and reindeers, along with a 60-foot long tunnel of lights, have become popular attractions, allowing people to feel the holiday spirit amidst the lights and laughter.
James White, one of the event organizers, expressed, “This year, we have received support from many local businesses, as well as exceptional volunteers, vendors, and performers joining us.”
He mentioned that what touched the organizing team the most was, “Many businesses have expressed that they enjoy participating in our events, which are one of the most anticipated activities for them throughout the year. Many community members also love to participate in these events and look forward to their arrival every year.”
In a corner of the Christmas market, handmade crafts are quietly displayed, attracting many people to stop and admire the warm textures and natural colors. Kevin, Rebecca Acker, and Steven Tuyl sell their handmade crafts together. Kevin said, “Events like these bring people together. You don’t need to go to the mall because the crafts here are all made by artists, not something you can find elsewhere.”
The wooden bowls, cups, and spinning tops are all made by Steven Tuyl, each piece being a unique work of art. Steven runs a lumber service. For him, some wood is not just disposable waste, but a resource worth cherishing and giving new life to. He can clearly state the source of each of his works, even remembering which town they came from: “The red cedar comes from Narrowsburg, the white waxwood from Eldred, and the cherry burl from Glen Spey.” These three small villages are all located in Sullivan County, New York.
These products are all handcrafted on a wood lathe, with naturally occurring patterns giving the works added value. For safety and practicality, he specifically uses a natural wood oil mixture made of beeswax and orange peel oil to ensure that the vessels for food and beverages are safe.
Steven admits that this is just his hobby but he puts a lot of effort into it. For him, the process of making is a form of enjoyment. He recalled accompanying his grandmother to flea markets in his childhood, where his grandparents also handmade birdhouses, flower boxes, and wooden chests, planting in him a love for handicrafts. Now, Steven jokingly says that he is just “continuing to make childhood toys as an adult”, allowing nature and creativity to continue in his hands.
Steven Tuyl often donates his works to help families in need. “I don’t have much money, but I can donate my works. If someone’s house catches fire, if someone is sick, I donate; the works are taken for silent auctions, and all the proceeds go to families in need,” Steven said.
His belief is simple: “When you can do something, do what you can. I also hope that everyone can do the same.”
Rebecca showcases handmade pottery that can last for thousands of years. Her works are mostly inspired by nature, and the leaf patterns and carvings on the pottery come from her inspirations.
Twelve years ago, her pottery studio suffered a severe fire, almost all of her works turning to ashes, causing her to leave pottery for over a decade until recently starting to create again.
“This is my first time coming back. Being able to return here and see everyone really moves me,” she said. Many people at the market exude a sense of calm and inner connection, like a shared spirituality.
She believes it is essential to showcase the “spirit of the season”: “It is our ability to be aware of ourselves, to connect with others, and to connect with the world. During these difficult times, it is through these connections that we overcome hardships.”
James Wu also agrees with the event theme of “Giving and Generosity.” He said, “For us, on the one hand, we hope to bring Chinese culinary culture here. For example, chicken broth tofu is a traditional Chinese snack, hoping to let Americans taste the flavor of traditional Chinese cuisine; on the other hand, we also want to convey healthy eating concepts through this.”
James explained this “healthy concept” with the sugar-free whole wheat bread he and his wife make: “After making this bread, the texture is very solid and sturdy, unlike regular loaves of bread or cakes that rise and expand when baked. It doesn’t rise, it has a substantial weight, and the materials used are very particular.”
James also mentioned that his wife has been researching how to make sugar-free foods: “Because many people are very concerned about sugar. Whether it’s diabetics or ordinary people, such as dancers or those pursuing a healthy physique, everyone wants to have a good, healthy, and fit body.”
He said, “No one wants to be overweight, and this type of food aligns with those needs, sugar-free, oil-free, and made with whole wheat, especially suitable for the elderly.”
Regarding their motivation to participate in this event, James candidly said, “In fact, we are not here to make money. By bringing these things out this time, we also want to see how receptive people are to the concept of healthy eating.”
Sally Zhang’s booth features Northeastern specialties such as savory pancakes and lamb offal soup. She mentioned that her participation in this event is mainly to “support the theme of ‘Giving and Generosity,’ allowing the community members who come to admire the lights to have a hot bowl of lamb soup and eat freshly fried pancakes in the cold weather.”
When asked why she chose these two food items, Sally said, on the one hand, it’s because there are hardly any vendors selling these Northeastern snacks locally, “They are rare and in demand; on the other hand, having lamb offal soup and eating pancakes in winter is particularly warming and feels good.”
She noted that the response at the event was very enthusiastic, “Many people really like it, everyone says it’s delicious, especially the savory pancakes, the flavor is particularly intense. The lamb offal soup has also received many compliments, people say the taste is rich.”
Talking about the ingredients in the lamb offal soup, Sally listed, “There is sheep head meat, sheep tripe, sheep liver…” To prepare for this event, her team started simmering the soup the night before, adjusting and seasoning repeatedly to ensure the richness of the broth.
As for the pricing, she admitted the pricing was quite affordable, “Because we are aligning with the event, we didn’t make much money either.” She explained that the cost of lamb offal itself is high, and this time she deliberately added an extra 10 grams of flour to each savory pancake to make them bigger, so everyone could enjoy them.
This year, at the event, New Century Company held an art and writing contest for K-12 students with the theme of “The Season of Giving and Generosity,” receiving many exquisite works.
Twelve-year-old Fangfei Cao spent two days painting a table of blessings: turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, etc. Her work won first prize in the middle school category.
“Having gratitude makes the world feel beautiful,” Fangfei said, and she hopes to one day prepare a bountiful dinner for her parents.
Six-year-old Fangxin Cao received an honorable mention in the elementary school category, thanking her singing teacher in the painting. Fangxin said, “She taught me high and low notes, and how to use my voice.”
Eleven-year-old Alisadysen Long also received an honorable mention in the elementary school category for her work “Christmas in My Heart”. Long depicted parents preparing gifts for their children, pure and heartwarming.
“I didn’t discuss with anyone; I just painted what I imagined in my heart for Christmas,” Alisadysen said.
Clean World has been promoting positive values since its establishment three years ago in 2022. Following the success of the “Kindness Is Cool” theme activity garnering global attention, Clean World launched a new theme tag #BeKindBeCool and held the “Clean World 2025 Kindness Is Cool Video Awards”, inviting people around the world to convey kindness through video and creativity, with a total prize money of up to $10,000.
Highlights of this year’s event include the winning videos appearing on the iconic billboard in New York City’s Times Square, allowing kindness to be seen in one of the busiest city centers globally. The total prize money of $10,000 will be awarded to outstanding works and showcased prominently on Clean World’s official event page.
This is Clean World’s third time hosting the video awards. The “Kindness Is Cool Video Awards 2024” received over 26,000 entries from more than fifty countries worldwide, reaching 150 countries and regions, with a total of over 10 million views and over 1 billion impressions, sparking a global trend of kindness.
This year’s event also features a student art competition, allowing children to express good intentions in a way that resonates with their inner selves. The organizers stated that many children are better at expressing emotions through art rather than words, hence the competition is specially opened up to global school students.
The competition is divided into four categories: Grades 1-3, Grades 4-6, Grades 7-9, and Grades 10-12, with a $500 first prize for each category. The deadline for registration is February 1, the winners will be announced in May, and the award ceremony will be held in July at New York’s Times Square. The organizers hope that through global participation and exchange, they can stimulate children’s creativity, showcase care, respect, and the spirit of helping others, allowing the power of kindness to continue spreading across the world.
Clean World is a multilingual video and image social media platform under Clean World Corporation, offering services such as video viewing, sharing, streaming media, blogs, and social platforms. The group’s headquarters are located in Middletown, New York, USA.