Through a SOMINN LENS
AUDREY KLETSCHER HELBLING A long-time wordsmith and photographer, Audrey Kletscher Helbling creates from Faribault, where she lives with her husband of nearly 40 years. Her greatest holiday joy comes in time with family, including her two precious grandchildren. www.mnprairieroots.com audrey@mnprairieroots.com
Trees line Central Park for the Faribault Parks and Recreation Department 2020 Drive-by Holiday Tree Display, part of the Hometown Holidays celebration. Local businesses and organizations sponsor and decorate trees, which are then given to families who would not otherwise have trees. The trees will be set up Nov. 29 and displayed until Dec. 9.
Holiday in
Faribault
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ach December I seek to reclaim the magic of the holiday season I felt as a child. The anticipation. The excitement. The joy. Reflecting on my childhood, I recognize that my most beloved memories center on experiences. Driving through Tangletown, a residential neighborhood of twisting streets near Grandpa’s home in Redwood Falls, to view holiday lights. Waiting in line to see Santa, anticipating the Hershey’s candy
bar inside a goodie bag. Rushing down the aisle of St. John’s after Christmas Eve services while belting out “Joy to the World,” then piling into the Chevy with my five siblings for the short drive back to the farm and gift-opening. Money was tight, gifts few. Still, that didn’t keep me from paging through the Sears & Roebuck catalog/Christmas Wish Book and coveting toys I would never receive. Now, as an adult, I remember the moments, not the things. I recall gathering as a family, the ripping of wrapping paper, the togetherness. I remember, too, the short-needled short Christmas tree, draped in tinsel, adorned with lights and bulbs and a bird sparkling in silver glitter. The tree sat on the end of the Formica kitchen table in our cramped farmhouse. Today some of those vintage ornaments decorate my own imperfect Charlie Brown tree purchased from a Faribault vendor. I still delight in holiday lights that brighten dark December nights. Whether in storefront windows or front yards or on street corners, strings of lights and seasonal decorations bring back memories. Likewise, concerts and holiday parades and other community events, while not the same as my youthful experiences, bring joy. The magic of the holiday season remains, filtered now through the lens of time.
ADD YOUR EVENT FOR FREE TO THE SOMINN SCENE CALENDAR. GO TO W W W. S O U T H E R N M I N N . C O M / S O U T H E R N _ M I N N _ S C E N E / & C L I C K + P R O M O T E Y O U R E V E N T
TOP: Star toppers decorate the trees at the Drive-by Holiday Tree Display in Central Park, organized by Faribault Parks and Recreation. MIDDLE: The Christmas tree lot at ACE Hardware in Faribault. BOTTOM: A team pauses for a photo with Santa during the Faribault Parks and Recreation Department’s local The Amazing Race during Hometown Holidays in 2020. W W W. S O U T H E R N M I N N SCENE. C O M
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