This morning, I’d like to introduce you to a treasured friend I only get the privilege of visiting with this time of year — Scarlett.

I was initially introduced to Scarlett when Diane and I got married, but her relationship first began as a special memory between Diane and her mother. The two were shopping together one Christmas season when Scarlett first came to their attention.

After seeing the figurine decked out in a flowing red holiday coat, strumming a violin, mother and daughter agreed the figurine needed a new home. The fact that Scarlett also played the classical Christmas piece “Silent Night” if you wound her up at her base only made the purchase that much sweeter.

When Diane’s mother passed, Scarlett joined our family, where every Christmas she would be placed in a special location of prominence.

She was precious to Diane, and, because of that, she was precious to our whole family.

Over the years, one of the favorite pastimes of the two of us has been antiquing. Whether it be an antique mall of 50 vendors, a single antique shop, or an auction, I always keep my eye out for Scarlett’s sister.

And, while I never have found the sister, one year, I did come across a smaller version of Scarlett that was similar in every detail except it did not play music.

Imagine the surprise on Diane’s face that year when I found where she was in the store and brought her to the area where I found miniature Scarlett. As you might imagine, “little sister” Scarlett had to come home with us that day.

That same year, Diane’s father passed, and her mother was feeling quite alone at the holidays. Diane and I knew we needed to gift little Scarlett to her that Christmas, and, needless to say, the newest addition was a huge hit with her mother that year.

Several years later, we were in Minnesota, visiting our son, Andrew, and his wife, Sarah. We were acquainting ourselves with many of the interesting sights in the Minneapolis area, and one of those places was a quaint village on a lake with a charming downtown.

Inside an antique store, Diane was sharing the story of the two Scarletts with Sarah, when, all of a sudden, Andrew walked over holding another miniature Scarlett in his hand. Confirming with his mother it was indeed a Scarlett, he turned around and immediately went to the clerk and made the purchase for his mother.

The find only adds to the story of Scarlett and makes it somewhat of a folklore in our family.

Last week, it was Christmas-decorating time at our home. The trees were decorated, lights were hung, and wreaths were placed in just the right locations.

And, just like what happened when Diane was a teenage girl — indeed, on the same hutch she and her mother placed Scarlett all those years ago — Diane carefully unwrapped her three Scarletts and displayed them prominently there again.

The story continues to be retold to the generation of our granddaughters. One day, hopefully sometime in the far distant future, Scarlett will fittingly make her next home with Andrew and his family.

And, just like that, another holiday tradition gets passed from one generation to another.

It’s one of the things I like most about this special time of the year.

Bill Speer retired in 2021 as the publisher and editor of The News. He can be reached at bspeer@thealpenanews.com.