A Wrapping Tradition to be Remembered
Story by Michele Bechtell, photos contributed
As you read these words, there is Christmas theater in the making at Schaffer Family Farm in Morgan County. In a magical craft room that doubles as a Santa workshop, one creative "Nana" is combining bespoke gift wrapping with youth literature to produce an annual theatric experience for her growing audience of seven grandchildren, ages 4 to 16 years.
Box seats charm six parents and numerous grandparents. The unusual holiday production involves gift wrapping, story hour and solving riddles, and creates memories that will last for generations.
Retired primary school educator Ann Schaffer began her magical Christmas tradition in 2018 with a snowman theme. That holiday season, she and her husband David were finding their place in an extended family inhabiting several towns in Georgia. “Because our family is blended,” says Ann, “our grandchildren have an abundance of grandparents who have no problem showering them with gifts that are out of this world. Instead of trying to produce the most memorable gift of the season, we decided to give our grandchildren a meaningful experience and a lasting lesson in the giving of gifts.”
That first year, Ann shared with the children one of her favorite stories, Stranger in the Woods by Carl R. Sams. It dawned on her that a woodsy scene inhabited by snowmen offered a magical theme for gift decorations arranged in a theatric setting to reinforce the story. So, for each child she assembled three gift boxes to fashion a unique snowman embellished with scarf, hat, and gloves. Apart from a personalized gift ‘box,’ each child received a snowman ornament accompanied with a poem riddle to identify their unique character. When Ann and David observed how the children’s eyes sparkled as each claimed their designated snowman, they knew there would be no turning back. By the end of the holiday gathering, the children were clamoring to hear what characters would appear the next year.
Subsequent holiday themes have included reindeer, a Nativity scene, elves, nutcrackers, and angels. Each distinct cast of clever characters lends a fresh theatric atmosphere to the Schaffer home throughout the holiday season. The coordinated characters reinforce a particular literary work such as The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell or Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert Lewis May. The annual selection and interpretation of each theme also stimulates intergenerational dialogue and creative engagement among family and friends throughout the year in anticipation of opening day.
Although Schaffer displays refresh each year, what remains constant is the number and thematic content of the boxes. Each character is always composed of three boxes containing one age-appropriate book, one piece of clothing, and something that the grandchild requests. Wishlist items have ranged from a fishing pole requiring a five-foot long narrow box to pajamas that fit nicely into a coffee can. Once Ann assembles each trio of boxes, she lets her imagination run wild to create and embellish distinctive characters with enchanting personalities.
The assemblage and opening of gifts are only part of the Schaffer festive holiday tradition. Ann includes reading the Bible, reading an imaginative tale related to the annual dramatic theme, and solving personalized rhyme riddles to locate one’s character. The engaging combination makes the difference between a single holiday event and a heart-warming group experience that activates all the senses and nurtures intimate interactions among the children and adults.
The combination and coordination of elements make endearing memories. However, it is the clues that particularly intrigue the children. Charlotte Schaffer, age 16, carefully studies the varied features for hints. She observes with amusement, “Sometimes our personality makes it into our designated character.” Her cousin Lucy Long, 12, adds, “I like how we have to read and solve the riddles to find our presents instead of just reading a tag. I look forward to figuring out the new theme and seeing the different traits of each character.” Maddie Schaffer, 10, likes the clues and that she and her cousins can contribute creative ideas. “Every year, we make suggestions, and Nana tries to make it happen,” she says. “The year we had Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus, that was my suggestion.”
What began as primitive gift wrapping evolved into interpretive creations inspiring a year-round search for intriguing objects at yard sales and craft stores. Useful discoveries include eye lashes, trims, and other promising embellishments like fur, foil, odd fabric, buttons, and feathers. These curious objects routinely get tossed into Ann’s stash basket for later application as decorative accents to communicate personality quirks and amusing expressions like a wink or a raised eyebrow. Such character costume details are not lost on 8-year-old Griffin Schaffer. “My favorite theme was the angels because they had eye lashes and real hair,” she describes. Libby Schaffer, 11, recalls with glee, “My favorite of all the characters is the nutcrackers because they were all different and very detailed.” Skipping the details, the latest addition to the Schaffer clan, 5-year-old John Taylor Long, jumps in to say, “It’s fun. My nutcracker was big!”
This year the Schaffer Christmas theme is the heartwarming tale of Scrooge with readings from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Ann beams when she muses of her and David’s holiday tradition. “This labor of love is as much a blessing to me as it is to my grandchildren. How wonderful it would be if even one grandchild would keep this tradition alive.” Christmas at Schaffer Family Farm vividly illustrates that it’s not so important how many presents a child receives, but how one can make magic and memories with just one or a few.
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This story appeared in Lakelife magazine, Volume 18, Issue 6, and is the property of Smith Communications, Inc. No portions of the story or photos may be copied or used without written consent from the publisher.
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