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Deck the Halls

Treasured family heirloom

kunze-uploadAs a child, Kathryn Kunze of Alpena loved the Christmas “crib” as it was known in her family.

“We would put it out on the old floor radio and decorate with real evergreen branches and tinsel,” she said. “When it was lighted in the evening, I felt it was the loveliest treasure of all and would sit mesmerized in front of it thinking of the Christmas story it represented.”

Years passed and when her mother was parting with some family keepsakes, she asked if the crib could be hers.

“Every year now it sits, not on a radio, but on a cabinet in my home and I still think it is the most beautiful of treasures,” Kathryn said.

Her sister, Margaret Alexander, who is six years older than her, remembers that their mother got the heirloom piece around 1935 when they moved into their home and general store in Bolton.

“Margaret thinks mom ordered it from a catalog (maybe Sears or Montgomery Ward) because Mom didn’t get into town very often and most of the ‘shopping’ for specific items came from catalogs,” Kathryn said.

There are no markings on the crib. Until recently, she had not been able to find another one like it, although she did just spot one on eBay.

“The description is very scant,” she said. “I wrote asking for more information or details but have not yet heard back.”

Kathryn provided a photo of her special decoration as it appears today in her living room as well as the only photo she has of it from long ago when her mother displayed it on the radio.

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