Dave: There’s a Santa’s workshop, there’s elves, there’s a post office, church..everything is here.

IT’S ANOTHER CHRISTMAS AT DAVE RIDDERHEIM’S FORT WAYNE HOME, ONE OF OUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SPOTS. NOT BECAUSE OF DAVE, THOUGH HE’S A GREAT GUY, OR HIS 800 PIECE DEPARTMENT 56 SANTA’S VILLAGE THOUGH IT’S LOTS OF FUN. NO, WHAT MAKES THE RIDDERHEIM HOME A FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SPOT IS THE RIDDERHEIM GRANDCHILDREN.

Dave: ‘Cause the reindeer have to come Christmas, so he’s giving him a reindeer massage!

THERE CAN BE NO JOY EQUAL TO THAT OF THESE CHILDREN WHEN AFTER A WEEK OF SETTING IT UP, GRANDPA FINALLY UNVEILS HIS SANTA’S VILLAGE DISPLAY.

Dave: Don’t touch ‘em!!

OKAY THERE ARE RULES, BUT IT CERTAINLY DOESN’T STOP THE FUN.

Dave: Do you like Disney or do you like the gumdrops? That’s what Christmas is isn’t it? The spontaneity of youngsters, you know, their joy? I wish I had that.

DAVE IS SELLING HIMSELF SHORT. IF HE LACKS SPONTENAITY HE MORE THAN MAKES UP FOR IT IN CHRISTMAS JOY. IT HAS BEEN PART OF HIS HOMELIFE SINCE GROWING UP THE ONLY CHILD OF SWEDISH IMMIGRANTS. SWEDES KNOW HOW TO KEEP CHRISTMAS.

Dave: Christmas Eve all the family went together to my grandmother’s house. I just remember the smells and the sounds and the sights and the family.

DAVE HAS A COLLECTION OF HIS PARENTS CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS FROM SWEDEN. THOSE COME OUT AT CHRISTMAS TOO, IN HONOR OF THE PEOPLE WHOSE SPIRIT ALSO FILLS THIS HOME, WHO BROUGHT THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAY TO THEIR CHILD WHO IN TURN PASSES IT DOWN TO YOUNGER GENERATIONS. A GRANDFATHER’S CHRISTMAS GIFT, THAT WILL LAST THESE LITTLE ONES A LIFETIME.