Minnesotans know that with the coming of bitter cold, something else is knocking on the door. The holiday season is a time of tales, readings, song, and reflection. Get your fill of lutefisk; hear the church bells rung “the old fashioned way;” take a tour of Hmong New Year; feel the melancholy of the farm; experience foreign students first encounters with turkeys and pumpkin pies; and learn the history of fruitcake. These are some of the wide-ranging stories of Minnesota holiday life that await your senses.
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December 22, 2008 - This time of year is chock full of traditions, like building snowmen, frying latkes, or singing Christmas carols. Then there's the annual ritual that puts so many on edge: the family gathering. MPR's Nikki Tundel talks with a few wary family members about what’s behind the angst.
December 24, 2008 - MPR's Elizabeth Baier reports on Nochebuena (Spanish for “the Good Night”), a holiday celebrated every December 24th in Spain, Latin countries, and the Philippines.
December 15, 2009 - Santa Claus is making his list and checking it twice. But essayist Peter Smith says when he was growing up, it didn't matter if he was naughty or nice. Smith came from a huge family, and even Santa had to be practical.
December 22, 2009 - Say what you will about the frivolity of the holiday buying season, Minneapolis poet Todd Boss has discovered a new reason to indulge in mechanical marble-tumble toys.
December 22, 2009 - Essayist Peter Smith shares a story about one of his favorite Christmas memories… about a man named Mr. Dinklenberg.
November 30, 2010 - There's one holiday reunion local essayist Peter Smith isn't exactly looking forward to during the season. It’s all about the carbohydrate.
December 23, 2011 - Midday presents a broadcast of Of Mirth and Mischief, a performance of stories, winter fairies, and elves from writer and humorist Kevin Kling at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.
December 21, 2012 - MPR’s Nikki Tundel reports on the CrossRoads Panorama's production "Scrooge in tha Hood," a modern take on the classic tale "A Christmas Carol." Actors portray the struggling Scratchit family, a twist on Charles Dickens's Cratchit family.
December 4, 2013 - Morning Edition’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Jack Barkla, who since the 1970s, has been responsible for creating the auditorium shows at Dayton’s in downtown Minneapolis. Barkla calls it "conjuring up magic."
December 21, 2015 - MPR’s John Enger talks with Bemidji resident Gerri Thorsgard, who recounts memories of lefse and the importance in making it herself now in carrying on the tradition.