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A home in West St. Paul is embracing the giving spirit of the season with a “Take an ornament” holiday display. The decorated fence and trellis are covered in holiday ornaments with a sign inviting people to take one.
“I really like the winter holidays,” says Stephanie Weiss, the person behind the ornament giveaway. “I love when there is snow on the ground. But a lot of people don’t feel that way. I thought that this little unexpected offering to strangers, neighbors, and friends might foster a smile.”
The home is located at 1096 Ottawa Avenue, between Dodd and Butler.
Weiss has a stash of ornaments, so she’ll replenish the supply as people take them. The ornaments along the fence are easy to miss, since they’re not at eye level for most adults, but they are available as well. People are also welcome to add an ornament if they like.
“I was thinking about how polarized we are politically as a nation,” Weiss says. “I thought: What would happen if someone with very different political views stopped and took an ornament? If you ran into them in summer, you’d have a friendly footing for a conversation. Maybe little things can foster understanding between people in ways we don’t regularly think about.”
“It might make our long nights a little shorter and a little less dark,” says Weiss.
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