Minnesota Prairie Roots

AGAINST A FESTIVE BACKDROP of The Polar Express locomotive, a gingerbread house, Frosty the Snowman, a Christmas tree and more, figure skaters at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School performed their annual holiday show on ice, “Lights, Camera, Skates! Christmas at the Cinema,” before an appreciative audience on December 13. And I was there, as I have been for many past figure skating shows that are as much an opportunity for skaters to perform as an early Christmas gift to the community.

I always enjoy the Campus Christmas Walk at the long-time private college prep school on Faribault’s east side. Students from around the world come here to learn, to skate, to play hockey and soccer, to participate in the arts and more. The school’s core, with its aged limestone buildings, seems more elite East Coast college than a Midwest prep school. But at the sports complex on the far north end of the campus, multiple ice arenas, a soccer dome and gym bring the modern to the historic.

Inside the J.P. Parise Arena, yes, that Parise of National Hockey League fame and a one-time hockey coach at Shattuck, costumed skaters glided, twirled, danced and entertained those of us bundled in our winter gear on a bitterly cold December afternoon in southern Minnesota. After an hour of sitting in the ice arena, I felt the cold creeping into my bones.

But my heart was warmed by talented skaters performing to favorite holiday tunes themed to favorite holiday movie classics. Cinematic clips played on a corner screen, introducing segments of the show, setting the mood.

If a sing-along had been encouraged, I expect many of us would have joined in belting out lyrics about a magical snowman, a red-nosed reindeer, a mean-spirited Grinch, wanting all of our loved ones home for Christmas…

Directly in front of me, a family of seven sat together watching the show. Five kids and their parents, the youngest a sweet 13-month-old who kept peeking around her mom to look and smile at me. I smiled back at Vivian, bundled in blue fleece with animal ears jutting out of her hood. She could have been Cindy Lou, a Who from Whoville, in disguise. So darling and precious, eyes bright with wonder and joy. What a beautiful family. In that moment, I wished my own three grandchildren could be there beside me watching the magic on ice, like the family I’d only just met.

After the show, skaters, audience members, including families of the skaters, walked atop glitzy Hollywood style paper stars past a red carpet backdrop on the way to the gym. There a star awaited. Santa. Kids lined up to see him. They also gathered around tables to create crafts. Randy and I grabbed cookies. I drank a cup of coffee Randy mistakenly thought was hot chocolate.

As in past years, I left in a cheerful mood, thankful for Shattuck’s Christmas gift to the greater community. That also included a holiday concert in The Chapel of the Good Shepherd. I have yet to attend that, but should.

The figure skating show, with narrated introductions, filled my spirit. I especially welcomed the encouragement to share compassion and kindness. For one hour I felt the closeness of community. I felt peace, too, as if all the mean Grinches of the world had vanished. Or perhaps their minds shifted and their hearts grew three sizes. If only everyone could sit shoulder-to-shoulder inside a Minnesota hockey arena on a bitterly cold afternoon 12 days before Christmas and feel the love, the warmth that is possible when we all come together.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling