Frigid weather doesn’t put freeze on ‘Holly Daze’

Emo’s annual “Holly Daze” celebration opened to a cold but happy crowd sipping hot chocolate and eating cookies on Friday while awaiting the start of the Christmas parade, which officially opened this year’s event.
This year’s parade featured more than a dozen floats, including “The First Noel” from the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and a car carrying Emo Reeve Ed Carlson.
Of course, what would a Christmas parade wouldn’t Santa Claus himself bringing up the rear.
The parade left Donald Young School at 6 p.m. and was back there at 6:45.
Even though the temperature was well below the freezing mark, a good turnout was on hand (though with most people only getting out of their heated vehicles when the parade passed by).
Shortly after the parade, fireworks exploded into the frosty night air, delighting people of all ages.
To wrap up the first night of “Holly Daze,” the Emo Centennial Choir performed a Christmas concert at the Christian Reformed Church for about 350 people of all ages.
Renee Martin-Brown was scheduled to be the director this year but her Christmas present, her son, Ryan, was born two-and-a half weeks early.
“I thought they did a wonderful job under the direction of Lisa [Vos],” said Martin-Brown. “The concert was beautiful. It was so nice to get it from a different perspective and sit in the front row and just listen because usually I’m hard at work [being the director].”
This would have been her ninth year directing the concert if not for her bundle of joy.
“They did a wonderful job, it was a wonderful evening, we had lots of community support,” enthused Martin-Brown, who acted as emcee Friday night. “We sang for a nice crowd.
“We’re looking forward to the holiday season.”
Lisa Vos, who was supposed to be the accompaniest for the performance, instead found herself directing it.
“The choir did a very good job,” she said, adding she wasn’t nervous.
“Not very nervous because Renee had done all the hard work in preparing the choir,” noted Vos. “The back-up pianist [Rachel Schmutz] was very good, as well.”
The second day of “Holly Daze,” which ran from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, included “Crafts Galore” at the Emo’s Legion.
Home-made treats, such as fudge, pastries, and pies, teased and enticed the taste buds of hundreds of holiday shoppers. Soup and sandwiches also were available.
The young—and young at heart—also could get their picture taken with Santa. Three-month-old Parker Galusha-Carruthers was held for the first time by jolly St. Nick.
The newest event for “Holly Daze” came in the form of a movie. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” starring Jim Carrey, entertained many children, with proceeds going towards the proposed spray park in Emo.
Meanwhile, the Christian Woman’s League held its annual Christmas tea at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Emo from 1-3 p.m.
“It was a very good turnout considering the weather,” noted C.W.L. president Frances Grant.
Many prizes also were up for grabs, with International Falls resident Jacqueline Kennedy winning the main prize (a blue and white afgan).
Lydia Sharp of Stratton won the door prize, which was a table piece with candles. When asked how winninng the table piece made her feel, Sharp replied, “Very good.”
“I support a lot of teas and different things this past weekend so I was glad I won something,” she added. “They [the C.W.L.] had a pretty good crowd. I was pretty surprised and happy [to win].”
Jacob Empey won the children’s draw.
Winding down this year’s event was a draw at Tompkins Hardware for remaining spots in the 2008 Emo Walleye Classic.
This year’s winners were Quentin McCarthy and Chad Siezler (Team #51), Janet Lambert and Jamie Hanke (Team #52), Stan Viotaros and Mike Sheppard (Team #53), Rick Vanderaa and Rob Kellar (Team #54), former champs Todd Grennier and Eric Lessman (Team #55), Gene Carlson and Dorian Lindholm (Team #56), and Darwin Thompson (Team #57).
Thompson has not decided yet who his partner will be next May.
Lastly, the draw for the ever-popular “Emo Bucks” was held at Borderland Esso. At precisely 4 p.m., the two winning names were randomly picked for $250 dollars worth of gift certificates each at participating Emo retailers.
When Mary-Alice Drennan of Emo entered the contest at the Village Variety to win $250 in Emo Bucks, she never thought she would win.
“[I was] shocked . . . I usually don’t win anything!” she enthused.
Although Drennan was notified by Emo Chamber of Commerce president Colleen Vennechenko of her windfall on Saturday, Drennan has no immediate plans to spend it.
“I even haven’t the time to think,” she responded. “I have to gather my thoughts and think what I’m going to do with it [the winnings].”
The other winner, Edward St. Pierre, also is from Emo. “It was the second time in my life that I won something,” he noted calmly, noting the first time was when he was only eight years old and that was $5.
He said his winnings this time around will be spent at local businesses on day-to-day items such as gas, food, etc.
“It’s a real nice gesture by the Emo Chamber of Commerce to do this for the area. It’s not something that they have to do. It’s very nice to receive,” St. Pierre remarked.
Cindy Judson, who runs the Thread Shed in Emo as well as the Sears outlet with Carol Inkster, said “Holly Daze” brings a few more people into town.
“I think what it does it gets the people thinking a little more in advance what they are planning to shop [for at Christmas],” said Judson. “They get in and see what’s available here, and they’ll come back another time.
“It generates the initiation of the shopping [season].
“When I’m doing orders, I like to know in advance what’s coming at me that has to get done on time,” added Judson.