This is one of our favorite topics of the year — readers sharing their stories and photos of their favorite holiday keepsakes. From ornaments and craft projects to a Santa mug that connects a mother and daughter, we had a hard time choosing which ones to publish. Go ahead, call us sentimental. But really, we just love a good story. Thanks to the many readers who sent in theirs.
Barbara Beckman, Moorhead, Minn: “I was 8, sick with tonsillitis, and disappointed I couldn’t participate in the Christmas program at Zion Lutheran in Alexandria. My dad stayed home with me while my sisters and Mom went to church. As soon as they left, Dad started an unexplained flurry of activity. He set up a card table, gathered supplies — including something mysterious from the kitchen wastebasket, and asked if I might like to help. I don’t know how many walnut shells we decorated that afternoon, but time flew. Fifty years later, I still have my favorite Christmas ornament — and my favorite Christmas memory.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Sharon Carlson, Andover: “When I was in kindergarten 54 years ago, all of us sat quietly in a circle to draw our Christmas angels, but I whispered something to my ‘neighbor’ and the teacher heard me. She immediately kicked me out of the circle so I had to draw my angel all by myself in the corner. Naturally I was miserable and it certainly shows in the face of my angel.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Julie Angeles, Bloomington: I bought these sweet porcelain angel musicians in 1969 at a gift shop in Southdale. That was the year I got my driver’s license. I drove into “the cities” from Prior Lake and bought a music box for my mother when I spotted these angels on display. I saved money from my after-school cashier job and came back to buy them as a Christmas present to myself. I have collected angels ever since.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Mary Eret, Mahtomedi: “I’m a December baby, born on St. Nick’s Day. When my mother brought me home from the hospital, a neighbor gave her this Santa mug filled with holly sprigs. Thirty-eight years later, I gave birth to my only child — in August. My mom presented me with the Santa mug. The summer flowers looked out of place, but I loved the symbolism of the gift.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Joy Anderson, Princeton, Minn.: “For decades, my mom gave me an ornament with Joy written on it for Christmas. Some homemade, some bought, always thoughtful. Thought I would share one of the first along with the last ornament I received. Mom bought the snowman at the nursing home gift shop — I knew it would be the last one and almost didn’t take it.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Ingrid Bey, Belle Plaine
“My Grandma Hilma gave me this Santa when I was 5 years old. I was born in 1959, so you can do the math. My parents had an argument about whether they would allow me to play with Santa or not. I was a ‘daddy’s girl’ and of course I wanted to play with Santa. My mom said that if I was allowed to play with Santa I would ruin Santa and never have him as a future Christmas keepsake. Guess who won that argument? Santa is alive and well today and runs on two “D” batteries. He moves and rings his bell and his eyes light up. (His eyes are actually a little scary!)” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Marjorie Herdes, St. Louis Park: “In 1949 my preschool class visited a glass blower. I was enchanted. He handed me the ornament that he blew as a demonstration for us — a purple swan. I brought it carefully home and it has been a treasured centerpiece of our family Christmas tree ever since, saved in the original candy box padded with now very old cotton. A grandma now, most of my ornaments have passed on to my children. The purple swan, still with me, sits almost alone on a very modern tree.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Barbara Bodin Ukura, Deerwood, Minn.: “This oilcloth stocking was one of more than 30 made for the first-graders of Ebba Odencrans Sher at Lincoln Elementary in Chisholm, Minn., in 1956-57. There are likely more remaining from the many students who benefited from her passion for instilling the love of reading.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Kate Costello, St. Paul: “My family was living on a tiny air base in rural England in the early 1980s. I went to preschool at the local Church of England school. We made this angel poster as a class project, and I won it in a raffle at the end-of-term holiday party. It certainly wasn’t put together with durability or longevity in mind. ... Nevertheless, this angel has made three transatlantic crossings and several interstate and cross-town moves. By the time I was in my 20s, the poster had been hung on so many walls, the back was slick with adhesive residue and wouldn’t stay up anymore. The year I turned 25, my parents gave me a large, heavy, wrapped rectangle. When I took off the paper, I saw what you see in this photo. They had had my raggedy kid art project poster stabilized and framed as a gift. I burst into tears right there and cried all the way to the restaurant we were going to for birthday dinner.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Mary LaDuke, Brooklyn Center: “My mother passed in 1995 and in going through her things, I found this partially finished Christmas tree decorated mainly with pieces of her old jewelry, enhanced by small lights. I immediately fell in love with it and decided to put my finishing touches on it with some of my old jewelry. I have had it now for over 20 years and each season I display it lovingly.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
