Glass Lab

The MIT Glass Lab holds a number of events throughout the year, including the Great Glass Pumpkin Patch. I have gone a few times in recent years, because some of the creations are quite unique and quite beautiful, as you can see in the photo to the left (photo courtesy of the Glass Lab). The pumpkins make great gifts, and they also make great holiday decorations during the autumn. I picked up two pumpkins at this year's sale for the house. Very unfortunately, the success of these sales seems to have gone to their heads. When I first went a few years ago, it was a relatively small affair, and a nice size pumpkin (about 4-6 inches in diameter) could be had for $35-$50. This year my sister and I went, and it was an absolute mob scene, as the event has become well publicized around Boston and Cambridge. Additionally, the pumpkins themselves have skyrocketed in price, with many of the the same 4-6 inch pumpkins selling for well over $100 a piece. I literally watched people horde and fight over these things, as well as spend thousands of dollars. It is somewhat unfortunate.

They also have a few other sales during the year - The holiday one is going on right now (today and Tuesday 12/13/2005, 10 AM -5 PM, Lobby 10), and there is typically another one around Mother's Day. The holiday one is always a good place to pick up some Christmas presents, but it is also falling prey to the inflated prices that the Pumpkin Patch has seen in the last few years. In any case, I picked up what I consider to be a rather beautiful vase that I intend as Christmas present for my Mom at a reasonable $60, seeing as many comparable items were $200 or more. If you're in the area tomorrow, I recommend dropping in and checking it out. They have some really beautiful hand-blown ornaments for sale, all around $20.