2020
Guide
November~December 2020
Shop Local
Shop Local:
It’s the Best Way to Invoke Holiday Cheer! It’s hard to enjoy the magic of the season if you’re trying to navigate crowded stores or worried that your online purchases won’t arrive in time. If holiday shopping has become a dreaded chore, consider buying everything you need from the stores in your region. Here are a few reasons why.
Local Entrepreneurs Need Your Support For years there’s been a growing interest in buying local goods, particularly during the holiday season. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, supporting local entrepreneurs is more important than ever. Small businesses rely on a loyal customer base to thrive, and your patronage during the holiday season is crucial to their recovery from the current economic crisis.
Local shopping benefits everyone Buying local stimulates your region’s economy. It helps create more jobs in your area and provides many families with
a much-needed financial boost during the holidays. What’s more, when you opt for locally made products, you’re helping to protect the environment because fewer greenhouse gases are emitted when transporting the merchandise. You also spend less time on the road when you shop locally. This further reduces your carbon footprint and allows you to check numerous items off your holiday shopping list in just a few hours.
Local shops offer quality goods From unique gifts and chic outfits to fresh ingredients and handcrafted decorations, local stores are stocked with everything you need for a memorable holiday season. And since small business owners prioritize well-made products, you’ll be sure to get your money’s worth. Plus, you’ll benefit from the friendly, personal service offered by knowledgeable employees. From gift recommendations to easy in-person returns, shopping at stores in your region can lighten your load during the holiday season. This year, make it a point to buy local.
Editor: Allison Collins
Table of Contents A Plentiful History: Mythic & Popular Origins of the Cornucopia.................................... 3 Red and Green Holiday Bark.................................4 Brooks’ House of BBQ......................................... 6 Sybil’s Yarn Shop.................................................. 7
Christmas Tree Geology....................................... 8
Lundins Christmas Trees.................................... 10 New Asbury Gardens......................................... 10 Tin Bin Alley....................................................... 11
Wise Guys Sammys...... 15 ‘Tis the Season to Bake & You Can’t Resist Me, I’m the Gingerbread Cake!................ 16
Weaver’s Farm Market................ 18
Posie’s Vintiques...................................18
Southside Mall.................................................. 19 Heartwood Gift Barn......................................... 19
Scented Christmas Crackers............................... 12
Whispered Wishes & Merry Memories of the Bresee’s Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus.............. 20
Something to Celebrate - Festive Feasts & Gifts Across the Holidays................................ 14
CarpetsPlus COLORTILE....................................24
Riverwood....................................................... 23
Holiday Guide 2020 is a publication of The Daily Star, 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 13820 © 2020 - All rights reserved. COVER PHOTO: Santa is seen arriving on Main Street, Oneonta during the city’s 2017 ‘Home for the Holidays’ parade. The photo was one of 10 in an online gallery, at https://tinyurl.com/ydgfs5sq, which won second place in Division I of the New York Associated Press Association awards. Julie Lewis | The Daily Star
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A Plentiful History: Mythic & Popular Origins of the Cornucopia By Chrystal Savage
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n traditional still-life paintings and contemporary decorations, the cornucopia is a staple of the harvest season.
Translating from the Latin “cornu copiae,” to “horn of plenty” in English, it is believed that the cornucopia was derived from its representation in Greek mythology, in which Zeus, in his youth, was fed from the horn of a goat. According to a 2015 Atlas Obscura article, “the horn of plenty was broken off the head of an enchanted she-goat by Zeus. “The infant Zeus was hidden away from his father, Cronos, in a cave,” the article continues. “While in hiding, the baby Zeus was fed and cared for by Amalthea, a figure depicted as a naiad (water nymph) or she-goat. Wile suckling at the teat of the magic goat, (Zeus) broke off its horn, which began to pour forth a never-ending supply of nourishment. Thus the symbol of the horn of plenty was born.” Today, the symbolism of the cornucopia has evolved. Historically, the first prominent “modern-day” American Thanksgiving occurred in the harvest season of 1621, roughly a year after the pilgrims’ arrival and settlement on Plymouth Plantation. Despite its popularized depictions, the bounti-
ful reaping was likely never stocked in a cornucopia and the horn-shaped vessel did not become a traditional element of the holiday until President Lincoln’s formalized Thanksgiving in his attempt to unify a warring nation.
Cornucopia Culture Hollowed-out goat horns have been replaced by the more popular woven basket-style cornucopia, believed to have originated in Western Asia and Europe in the 17th century. Cornucopias of varied styles have been featured on coins, flags, coats of arms and of course in artistic representations, including statues, paintings, pottery and compositions. Suzanne Collins, a native to the New England area and author of the Hunger Games trilogy, also featured a grim, science-fiction interpretation of the cornucopia in her novels. Losing the popularization of its origin to become more synonymously associated with pagan traditions, many Americans associate cornucopias with the first Thanksgiving which is, in fact, a myth. Nonetheless, the meaning of the cornucopia and its suggestion of harvested bounties has withstood the test of time. Often overflowing with faux fruits, berries, nuts and vegetables and taking on a few new connotations over the years, the cornucopia is a centerpiece of many Thanksgiving tables and a reminder of that for which we give thanks.
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Red and Green
By Allison Collins
Holiday Bark
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his recipe takes a holiday staple – cranberries – out of the can or sauce bowl and off the tree, pairing the dried berries with festive green pistachios and dark chocolate. Red and Green Holiday Bark is simple to make and uses few ingredients, but looks elegant enough to give as a gift. And, while fresh cranberries are known for their tart flavor (early Native American names for the fruit translate to “bitter” or “sour berries,” according to a 2013 National Geographic article), the sweeter dried berries complement the rich bitterness of good dark chocolate. According to a 2016 Martha Stewart Living article, Americans eat roughly 400 million pounds of cranberries annually, “20% of which are consumed during the week of Thanksgiving.” Beyond being bright, shiny and crimson-skinned, cranberries’ connection to the holiday season makes historical sense. The antioxidant-rich berries are available through the cooler months and, unlike most fruits, keep well. Native to North America, the cranberry variety associated with contemporary traditions grows abundantly throughout New England and the Pacific Northwest. That, and they’ve long been versatile. “Native Americans ate cranberries as fresh fruit, dried the fruit and formed them into cakes to store and made tea out of the leaves,” the National Geographic piece notes. “The Inuktitut of eastern Canada used the cranberry leaves as a tobacco substitute. Cree boiled the fruit and used it to dye porcupine quills for clothing and jewelry. Chippewa used cranberries as bait to trap the snowshoe hare.” The berries, the article continues, are also “thought to help prevent heart disease” and were used by Native Americans as “blood purifiers, a laxative and … for treating fever, stomach cramps and childbirth-related injuries.” “The Wampanoag tribe used cranberries for a variety of things, including dye, medicine and food,” the Martha Stewart Living piece echoes. Though early colonists were slow to avail themselves of the berries’ many uses, they did make note of them. The National Geographic piece states: “Colonists (called them) craneberries, for the way the flower, produced in June before the fruit grows, resembles the head and bill of a sandbill; fenberries, for the fens—an antiquated word for bogs—where cranberries grow; and bearberries, for the bears that were, apparently, often seen snacking on them.” Though it’s debatable whether or not cranberries featured on the mythic ThanksBreak cooled bark into random, jagged chunks. giving table of 1621, this cranberry-studded bark will look lovely on your holiday table this year.
Red and Green Holiday Bark
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1. Crushed pistachios, chopped dried cranberries and a sprinkle of pink Himalayan sea salt give this bark a festive look and a balanced sweetsalty taste. 2. Add in the butter just as the chocolate chunks begin to melt. 3. Stir the melted chocolate until smooth and shiny. 4. Pour the melted chocolate onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet for easy removal later. 5. Sprinkle poured chocolate with chopped cranberries while just beginning to cool, but not yet hardened. 6. Add sea salt before chocolate sets, but not while it is still warm, or the salt will melt.
Ingredients: 12 oz. high-quality dark chocolate chips or chunks 2 tbsp. unsalted butter ½ c. pistachios, shelled and chopped ½ c. dried cranberries, roughly chopped 1 tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt Gold sprinkles or food-grade gold leaf (optional) Recipe: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt chocolate pieces in a double boiler, or in a large glass bowl placed over a small saucepan of boiling water (see Tips). Add in butter as chocolate melts and stir until smooth and glossy. Remove melted chocolate from heat. If using a large bowl, be sure to wipe any condensation from the bottom so no droplets get into the melted chocolate while pouring. While still warm, pour melted chocolate onto prepared baking sheet. Allow to cool slightly. Before chocolate hardens, top with dried cranberries, chopped pistachios, Himalayan sea salt and gold sprinkles, if using. Once chocolate has hardened, scatter gold leaf flakes, if using. When everything is set, crack finished bark into chunks and store in an airtight container or wrap for gift-giving.
Tips: • Consider placing the parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer before pouring on the melted chocolate. • If making a double boiler with a bowl and saucepan, be sure to use a glass bowl much larger than the saucepan, so the bowl sits above the boiling water and not in it and boiling water cannot splash out. • This recipe makes roughly 20 pieces of bark, depending on the size of the pieces, but can easily be doubled or tripled for gift-giving. Holiday Guide 2020 e THE DAILY STAR
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Finished bark is ready for holiday gifting.
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Contributed
Christmas Tree Geology By Robert and Johanna Titus
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s this is the holiday issue, the theme of each article is supposed to be related to Thanksgiving or Christmas. Ours is a geology column, so you can see the conundrum, but we gave it a try. Thinking something Christmassy might lie atop area ice age features, we pondered a while then looked, in particular, at local Christmas tree farms. We were hoping to find one lying at the bottom of an old glacial lake. That led us to Lundins Tree Farm at 3552 state Highway 7, Otego.
Ice Age Origins We had a good feeling about Lundins as soon as we drove there and saw it. It lay on a platform rising above the floor of the Susquehanna River Valley, signifying ice age origins. But we needed to look at a good map to learn more.
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Contributed
The Lundin platform (see our illustration below, yellow on map, with a red L) lay at the downhill end of a little unnamed creek flowing out of the hill above (see heavy blue line). Over time, that creek eroded through the platform, cutting it into two halves. And then there was the elevation; that gave us a real clue. This platform reached a level of 1,100 feet (see heavy black line). We knew from earlier research that this was the level of the Ice Age lake, Glacial Lake Otego (light blue on map), that once filled the Susquehanna Valley.
Tundra Territory
Photo by Robert Titus
Lundins Tree Farm, seen in the distance, is at 3552 state Highway, Otego.
Map of Glacial Lake Otego, courtesy U.S. Geological Survey.
Quicker than a wink from Old Saint Nick, we knew what we were looking at. The Lundin platform had been a delta in the old lake. Let’s call it the Lundin Delta. It was as if we had traveled back in time to the centuries immediately following the end of the Ice Age. We stood at Lundins as it was back then and looked uphill. The slopes were nearly barren; there were no trees or even shrubs; the ground was covered by a primitive foliage: small plants, including grasses, sedges, mosses and lichens. This was what’s called a tundra. Today, you would have to go to the northernmost parts of Canada to see something like this. With so little plant life to hold down the ground, that little stream was actively eroding into the hillside. It picked up and carried off great amounts of sediment, dropping them into the glacial lake and actively depositing them into the delta. The top of the delta and the lake were at the same level, 1,100 feet in elevation. More centuries passed and millennia came and went. Glacial Lake Otego drained, and that’s when our little stream eroded the delta, cutting it into those two halves. Then the tundra was replaced by a forest of broad-leaf trees. Eventually, Christmases arrived and so did Christmas tree farms. Enjoy your holiday. Contact the authors at randjtitus@prodigy.net, find “The Catskill Geologist” on Facebook or visit thecatskillgeologist.com.
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Scented Christmas Crackers One of my favorite ways to ring in the holidays is with Victorian-inspired “crackers” filled with little goodies. This year, I’m making them extra special by adding some natural festive fragrances.
By Anna Krusinski
These party favors were designed to mimic French bon bons and are typically made from cardboard tubes wrapped with colorful paper and fringe. Each cracker is filled with an assortment of sweets or small gifts that are revealed when the parcel is pulled open. Victorian crackers were invented in 1847 by confectioner Tom Smith, but it wasn’t until 1861 that they became wildly popular, when he introduced their characteristic “snap.” As the story goes, Smith was sitting at his crackling fireside when a log popped, sparking a burst of inspiration. He was suddenly struck with the idea to add a snap to his crackers, which he later called “bangs of expectation.”
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Tom Smith & Co. later expanded its catalog to include an impressive array of novelties, such as a giant cracker measuring more than two feet, musical crackers and themed crackers for bachelors, spinsters and married couples. For Victorians, it was quite a treat to get a Christmas cracker, and what fun it must have been to pop one open and reveal the surprises hidden inside. To this day, crackers are relatively easy to find in stores, but you can also have fun making your own, filling them with your favorite sweets and gifts and even infusing them with a holiday fragrance.
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Supplies: Essential oils (For the holidays, I use my Orange Spice scent, which can be found online at Willow & Birch Apothecary. It’s a festive blend of orange, clove and anise.) e Cotton ball e Paper towel or toilet paper tube (cut to 4 inches in length) e Wrapping paper (cut to 8 x 12 inches) e Card stock (two pieces, cut to 3 x 6.5 inches each) e Glue gun e Scissors e Ribbon e Small gift items
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Directions: 1. The day before assembling your crackers, set aside a few moments to infuse your paper with your favorite scent blend. Add a few drops of essential oils to a cotton ball and place in a paper bag, along with your wrapping paper. (Be careful that the cotton ball does not touch the paper, as it can stain.) Close the bag and let sit for 24 hours, or until the fragrance has infused the paper. 2. To begin assembling, place wrapping paper face-down and lay the paper tube on the back of the wrapping paper, making sure the tube is centered along the length of the paper. Apply a small dab of glue to the middle of the tube and adhere on end of the paper. Roll the tube onto the paper and apply another dab of glue to adhere the other end of the paper, forming a rolled tube. 3. Roll cardstock into a cylinder slightly smaller than the cracker and insert into the end of the cracker until it’s even with the outer edge. Glue into place. Repeat for the other end. 4. Using your thumb and forefinger, gently crimp the end of the cracker between the tube and the rolled cardstock. Tie curling ribbon onto the crimped end, securing tightly while being careful not to tear the paper. 5. Insert gifts into the open end of the cracker. (To prevent small items from falling out, stuff the ends with a small amount of tissue paper.) Gift ideas include: festive messages or riddles, candies, toys or small beauty items such as lip balms and perfumes. 6. Repeat Step 4 for the open end of the cracker. Curl the ends of ribbons for the final decorative touch. 7. Crack5 ers are best when shared! To open a 6 cracker, each person grips one end, slowly pulling and twisting until the cracker tears, revealing the goodies inside. 7
Something to Celebrate– Festive Feasts & Gifts Across the Holidays By Caitlin Ogden
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very year, after the leaves have fallen and the air’s turned colder, friends and family gather to celebrate the late autumn and winter holidays. For some, that means decorating a fresh evergreen Christmas tree. For others, it means lighting the candles on the menorah and passing on the stories and traditions of an ancient faith. Some holidays happen at the same time every year, while others shift throughout the season. Whether you celebrate Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas or just have a big Friendsgiving, the shortening days are marked the world over by celebrations that include friends, family, food and gifts. The concept of autumn and winter celebrations is as old as agriculture itself. For early civilizations, the period immediately following the harvest marked a time during which resources were at their most plentiful. After the hard work of the growing season, and to gird themselves against the harsh winter, early humans likely wanted to kick back and indulge every bit as much as modern humans.
Christmas tree or the burning of the “Yule” log, a term . - derived from the Old English word, geol, which etymologists believe evolved from ancient Norse.
Diwali However, the Christian holiday isn’t the only winter celebration with traditions stretching back through time. Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, has been celebrated by multiple religions for at least 2,500 years. The festival, the date of which varies based on the Hindu calendar, typically falls in October or November; this year, Diwali begins on Nov. 14. The festival lasts for five days, and is observed in Hindu, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. Diwali traditions vary
Christmas Classics By now, many of us know the stories behind the evolution of the modern Christmas celebration, and how it borrows from other, earlier traditions, such as the Roman Saturnalia lasting from Dec. 17 to 24 on the Julian calendar. And Norse and Germanic traditions persist, in the decorating of the
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Mawlid In many subsects of Islam, Mawlid or Mawlid an-Nabi marks the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. While the date varies, by the Islamic calendar and whether the celebrant is of Sunni or Shi’a faith, it occurs in late October, and was celebrated from Oct. 28 to 29 this year. While many Sunni Muslim populations are moving away from the holiday, it is recognized as a public holiday in most countries with large Islamic populations, including Canada. There are variations to Mawlid celebrations around the world, but common themes include large parades, lighting of candles and decorating the home and the reading of poems about the life of Muhammad, both at home and in mosques. Creative Hat / Freepik.com
Hanukkah Hanukkah, lasting eight days and nights, is the Jewish festival of lights. It also has a roving date on the Gregorian calendar, also known as the standard modern calendar, and falls on the 25th day of Kislev on
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slightly between the four religions and by region in India and wherever its observers live. The earliest mentions of the festival appear in Sanskrit texts from the Indian subcontinent. While the details differ depending on the religion of the celebrant, Diwali’s general themes focus on the victory of light, good and knowledge over darkness, evil and ignorance. It is a time to celebrate prosperity, with feasting and gift-giving, and often involves decorating homes with special candles and lights.
the Hebrew calendar. In 2020, the festival celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem when the Maccabean people revolted against the Seleucid Empire. It is also celebrating the “Miracle of the Cruse of Oil,” a legend recounting how the Maccabees found a single cruse of pure oil when they retook the temple, and that oil being enough to light the temple’s menorah – a special ninebranched candelabra and a symbol of Judaism – for one night. Miraculously, according to the tale, the oil lasted for eight nights. Hanukkah in America is commonly celebrated with family and friends coming together to eat food fried or baked in oil, such as latkes (a fried potato pancake), exchange gifts and light the menorah.
Give Gifts to Spread Love Beyond eating lots of food, all of these faith-based celebrations include the exchanging of gifts. In Arabic, the phrase “tahaabu, tahaadu” translates to “give gifts to spread love to one another.” If you have a friend, a family member or a coworker whose religion is different than yours, you might wonder what an appropriate gift to give is. For Mawlid, tradition has long been to give gifts of food to one another, but recently, giving interest-specific gifts has become more popular. That means Mawlid is a great time to make a dish you know the receiver will like (and what a gift, not having to worry about dinner for a night!), as well as an opportunity to discover more about the person. Diwali is a celebration of light and prosperity and gift-giving is a major part of that. Gifts of clothing and jewelry are always appropriate and, given the time of year, gifts such as warm gloves, scarves, knit caps and jackets are ideal. Candles and special ceremonial oil lamps are also popular, as well as chocolates and flowers. For Hanukkah, gifts aren’t a requisite part of the celebration, but are very common, with some families exchanging gifts each night. The gift you give should be thoughtful and personal, like all gifts. Blue and white are the traditional colors of Hanukkah, and shoppers can find pajamas, candles, throw pillows and more designed to match the holiday.
Beyond the Box If you are giving gifts for Christmas, or for nondenominational celebrations, use your knowledge of the recipient and your relationship with that person to guide you. Small gifts such as soaps, candles, coffee and candy are great for any occasion and wonderful for the secular office get-together. Jewelry makes a wonderful gift for those close to you. Toys and games are perfect for kids, and kids at heart.
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Does your friend or family member have a specific hobby? Find out if they’d like a new set of paint brushes, some gardening gloves or a gift card to a hobby shop. One thing to keep in mind during the holiday season is that, while we all have our differences in culture, upbringing and the way we observe holidays – whether religious or secular – we have more in common than not. No matter what part of the world you come from, our ancestors have been greeting the end of the harvest season and the shortening of days with celebrations of nature’s bounty, togetherness, resilience and love for thousands of years. If you aren’t sure about how to give a gift to a new friend who celebrates a holiday with which you’re unfamiliar, ask respectful questions, start a dialogue and get to know that person. When you give a gift, you may be giving something material that is needed and welcome, but you are also giving something immaterial – your friendship, respect and love. Tahaabu, tahaadu, Diwali ki Shubhkamnayein, Hanukkah Sameach, Merry Christmas and happy holidays.
‘ Tis the Season to Bake & You Can’ t Resist Me, I’m the Gingerbread Cake!
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By Chrystal Savage
ingerbread is a delight of the holiday season, around the world as well as locally. From cookies to houses to ornaments and more, the spice-scented dessert is versatile. Though believed to have originated in Greece in the third century BCE, the classic gingerbread man associated with children’s tales and the Christmas season was purportedly invented by Queen Elizabeth I in 16th-cen-
Destination Oneonta’s Virtual Gingerbread Competition is Nov. 1 through Dec. 9.
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tury England. In the same era, the gingerbread house emerged in Germany. It wasn’t until the publication of Hansel and Gretel, however, that decorating gingerbread became holiday tradition. During this time, gingerbread pastries were taking off in the American colonies, except during the New England witch trials of the late 17th century, as it was widely believed that witches used gingerbread men in the same manner as voodoo dolls.
Mary Ball Washington’s Layfayette Gingerbread Cake
Nearly a century later, Mary Ball Washington, the mother of George Washington, developed a gingerbread cake known as Lafayette Gingerbread (see sidebar for recipe). The dessert was also loved by the 16th American president, Abraham Lincoln; so much so, it made narrative appearances during the 1858 Illinois senate race.
Staying Sweet, Virtually Since its creation, gingerbread has evolved. Locally, there are traditions further elevating the grandeur of the dessert. Destination Oneonta, a nonprofit organization “specializing in events and supporting and promoting the business community of greater Oneonta,” according to its social media, has long championed showstopping cookie constructions at its annual Gingerbread Jubilee. Professionals, hobbyists, culinary students and children compete in different categories, crafting gingerbread houses from architecture and imagination. This year would have marked Destination Oneonta’s fifth annual Gingerbread Jubilee. Because of restrictions related to the pandemic caused by the spread of COVID-19, a virtual gingerbread competition, with the theme “traditional gingerbread house,” will take place from Nov. 1 through Dec. 9. Katrina Van Zandt, director of membership and events at Destination Oneonta, said, in hosting the gingerbread contest virtually, the organization hopes to maintain some merry making. “We help keep the holiday spirit alive and encourage those that haven’t had time to make a (gingerbread) house in the past to join in on the fun,” Van Zandt said, in a written statement. “We are far from a ‘normal’ life, but many in the community look forward to this event and we want to keep the tradition alive.”’ For more information, contest rules and how to enter, visit the contest Facebook event page at fb.me/e/353L988tk.
According to mountvernon.org and the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant recipe archives, “This recipe is a modern adaptation of the 18th-century original. It was created by culinary historian Nancy Carter Crump for the book Dining with the Washingtons.” Ingredients ½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened ½ c., plus 2 tbsp. packed dark brown sugar 1 c. molasses Scant 2 ¾ c. sifted all-purpose flour 1 tbsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. ground cloves ¼ tsp. ground allspice 2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten ¼ c. fresh orange juice 1 tbsp. freshly grated orange zest Directions Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch-square cake pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, or in a large bowl beating by hand, combine the butter and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, continuing to beat until well combined. Sift the flour with the ginger, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Alternately add the eggs and flour to the butter mixture, beating very well after each addition. Add the orange juice and zest and continue beating for several minutes until the batter is smooth and light. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Set the cake on a rack to cool completely in the pan before slicing.
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Whispered Wishes & Merry Memories of the Bresee’s Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus By Mark Simonson
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anta Claus will soon be coming to town. So be good, for goodness’sake! Santa’s getting ready to make the SIMONSON “rounds.” Jolly ol’Saint Nick works hard for years from the North Pole, but eventually he retires, leaving his work to a new Santa. Oneonta’s own Santa and Mrs. Claus from holidays gone by were not your ordinary Christmas couple. I barely remember the big guy from the city’s “Santa Central,” otherwise known as Bresee’s Oneonta Department Store, but between 1946 and 1959, he and his missus talked with a lot of kids, and not just from Oneonta. This Santa, alias Clark Chap-
layne, got his annual gig, then did amazing things the rest of the year in the North Pole. Seriously. He’d rest a few days after the big “delivery,” come back to his second home in Otsego County and commute between here and the North Pole — as in North Pole, New York at Santa’s Village. Mrs. Claus also had her own story. Mrs. Santa was Mary Barnes Chaplayne. In addition to seeing children at the store, Mary and Clark had a local radio show on WDOS where they chatted with children, live.
Making Merry Before his days on the sleigh listening to youngsters’ wish lists, Chaplayne had rougher rides as a cabin boy aboard the USS Maine during the Spanish-American War of the 1890s. The ship sunk in the Havana harbor. Less hectic
Photo courtesy of The Bresee Family
Bresee’s Oneonta Department Store, as it appeared in the early 20th century.
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Daily Star file photo
Mary Barnes Chaplayne, seen at her 100th birthday celebration in Otego in December 1990.
December 21 is “Mary Elizabeth Barnes Day” times were ahead in show business. The Chaplaynes arrived upstate as former vaudeville performers from New York City, still with “acting” ambitions. As residents of Worcester, during the “off-season,” they performed at the Adirondack North Pole, following a job Clark was hesitant to take. On Mary’s 95th birthday in December 1985, in a Daily Star article from that month, she recalled coming home to her Worcester residence following a day in Oneonta, just after World War II, and telling Clark that Bresee’s was looking for a Santa Claus. At first he scoffed. Being in vaudeville and excelling in the works of Shakespeare, the job didn’t interest him. Mary’s recollections, as reported in the Star, read: “‘He said Shakespeare would turn over in his grave to see me playing Santa Claus,’ Mary said. ‘But I intrigued him because I dared him to go, just to do something different. All my life I have been doing something different, since I jumped out of the cradle.’ “When he got the job, his wife decided there should be a Mrs. Santa by his side. Fred Bresee said, ‘No, we’ll get along without a Mrs. Santa,’ but I followed him all around the store. He finally decided to give me a try. Years later, he told me, ‘I am awfully glad you talked me into that.’” Mary recalled how she gave cookies to children
Photo courtesy of Jerry Reed
Santa, sometimes known as Clark Chaplayne, is seen in this undated photo with Jerry Reed, then a Schuyler Lake resident.
visiting the store, and if Santa was out, she told the children he was busy and talked to them herself. She demonstrated toys from time to time, but as she said, “Most of all, we just loved the children.” After Clark passed away in 1959, Mary stayed in the area following her retirement as Mrs. Santa. She celebrated her 100th birthday with fellow residents at Garden View Manor in Otego on Dec. 21, 1990, as reported in The Daily Star. Part of Mary’s celebration was having lunch at the Bresee’s Department Store restaurant, the Health Bar. During lunch, then-Oneonta Mayor David Brenner proclaimed the day “Mary Elizabeth Barnes Day,” urging Oneontans to remember, “There really is a Mrs. Santa Claus.”
A Sack Full of Stories Jerry Reed, who grew up in Schuyler Lake, remembers him well. For Jerry (pictured in the photo, top right), it was quite a trek for the family to come to Oneonta to see Santa. For Adrienne Matteson-Silvernail, then of Franklin, it was also challenging. Bad weather, and having to travel down Oneonta Mountain, or as many Oneontans call it, Franklin Mountain, wasn’t always easy. Jerry lives near Utica now, and Adrienne in Greene, but they have fond memories of coming to see Santa and take in the spirit of the season in downtown Oneonta. Holiday Guide 2020 e THE DAILY STAR
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Photo courtesy of The Bresee Family
An undated view of Bresee’s toy department.
Photo by Mark Simonson
Some Christmas decor and other Bresee’s memorabilia is seen for sale at an auction at Oneonta’s Lettis Auction House in December 2003.
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Esther and Wilmer Bresee, once longtime Oneonta residents, said Clark and Mary meant so much to everyone. Wilmer was a store manager. Esther said Mary, as Mrs. Santa, had a high-pitched voice and a most infectious laugh. Clark Chaplayne was a very large man, and those wrinkles and white beard were totally real. Esther recalled how both went to the store’s beauty salon to be dressed up daily and the beards and white hair whitened even more. Matching their appearance, the Santa store display was always decorated lavishly and memorable to many kids and parents, the latter grateful to the display for the chance it offered to sneak away for a few moments of holiday shopping. Esther heard a lot of funny Santa stories from around the store over the years, but the best ever was a child telling Santa, “I’ve got something I bet you don’t have.” Santa, falling for it, asked, “What’s that, kid?” The reply? “The mumps.” All in a day’s work, sometimes. After many of those children grew up, they brought the next generation to see the Bresee’s Mr. and Mrs. Santa and though the Santa tradition continued long after Clark and Mary closed their holiday season careers, the Chaplaynes were a hard act to follow.
