The annual Festival of Trees kicks off Christmas at the Carnegie with 32 creatively decorated Christmas trees in the Carnegie Cultural Center, Luverne. Each tree is decorated by a different local organization, family or group of individuals. The tradition was started more than five years ago when Charlie Braa filled the Carnegie with his own decorated trees Ð each with its own theme. Braa, the long-time Rock County auditor, died in 1996, but his tradition of Carnegie trees lives on.
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Christmas at the Carnegie wouldn't be complete without the traditional family tree in memory of Charlie Braa. This year, his tree follows a tea party theme of gingerbread men, teapots, teacups and saucers. Pictured are his daughter, Kathe Stearns, and her daughter, Addie Stearns.
Charlie's widow, Luella Braa, connects homemade gingerbread men with hooks. Charlie's sister, Jan Baustian, made 130 gingerbread men and two dozen miniature gingerbread men (about an inch tall) in her own kitchen from applesauce and cinnamon.
Charlie's granddaughter, Addie Stearns, helped make the teapots, which started with large round ornaments adorned with polymer clay for a base, handle, spout and lid. The tree sports more than 48 of the handmade teapots. The project was a family affair, according to Kathe. "Charlie never had a traditional tree," she said. "Every year we do something different. He would be proud of us. We get together right after Christmas and decide what we're going to do the next year. Then we buy everything on clearance."
Another of Charlie's daughters, Karen Vogel, Rapid City, S.D., came up with the teapot idea and made hers and sent them home. Their sister, Carla Sirorine, even sent a few from her home in Missouri.