Emden Community Christmas - Lapsed tradition returns warm memories for future generations

[December 07, 2018]    Saturday, December 1, Emden held its first Community Christmas. The event was organized by the Women’s Auxiliary, American Legion, and Sons of the American Legion and is planned to be held annually.

As the children anxiously waited for Santa Claus, they sang “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman.”

Santa soon appeared in a carriage pulled by Clydesdale horses to light the Christmas tree.

Everyone was then invited to the Emden Community House for food and activities that included games, crafts, a movie, and pictures with Santa.

Children lined up to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas and receive a goody bag full of candy.



Games included a snowball toss, reindeer ring toss and candy cane fishing, and those who wanted to do crafts could make Santas, decorate plates with construction paper to look like stained glass windows, paint wooden snowmen, and color snowmen bags.



Those who were hungry could enjoy chili, hotdogs, popcorn, cookies, coffee and hot chocolate.

Toward the end of the evening, several gathered to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Sarah Kennedy of the Women’s Auxiliary helped organize the event. Kennedy remembers how exciting it was as a child to see Santa and watch a movie at the Community House. She said, “We wanted to recreate that for the kids in the community. The tree lighting was a way to involve the whole community.”



Women’s Auxiliary member Deb Wagner said remembering how much fun those activities were are why they decided to revive the tradition.

Women’s Auxiliary member Hannah Fitzpatrick said they thought of organizing the event last year, but there was not enough time to plan it, so they put something together for this year.

Women’s Auxiliary member Donna Struebing also grew up in Emden and said the event reminded her of her childhood when the men of the American Legion Post would host activities and movies at the Emden Community House.

Betty Jo Lessen and Lee Reiners both recall visiting Santa the week before Christmas and getting bags of candy and oranges, then watching a movie.

Many families came out to enjoy the community Christmas event that will hopefully become a favored holiday memory for new generations.

[Angela Reiners]