Winter Walk

Jacobsen’s Department Store

When you walked into Jacobsen’s department store, it was like stepping back in time. Jacobsen’s was a quaint, family-run, old-fashioned store, complete with wooden floors and an atmosphere not unlike what you see on Little House on the Prairie. Jacobsen’s was located on Division Street in downtown Northfield.

Business seemed to be doing fine when we moved into town in 1994, but struggling a bit to survive in the midst of big retail giants. The store had been in the family over 40 years by then. It was known to have just about anything you’d need, or they would order it for you, and their slogan was “Jacobsen’s – Northfield’s “Store with a heart”. The Jacobsen family ran the store and were customer friendly, living up to its slogan.

Jacobsen’s slogan printed on their bags.

Jacobsen’s offered a wide variety of goods. We were surprised to learn they carried tall sizes for men…which is unusual, and convenient, for our family.

I thought of Jacobsen’s recently, as I helped feed the animals on the farm where I help out. There were fresh eggs in the chicken coup. I didn’t have a bag or basket along, so I carefully placed them in the deep pockets of my heavy, hooded sweatshirt. Gary and I bought these matching, navy blue sweatshirts at Jacobsen’s years ago (tall for Gary). The sweatshirts have been good utility work jackets for many years. When I opened the deep pockets of my sweatshirt, to place the eggs, Jacobsen’s popped into my head.

A few of the fresh eggs I collected from the chicken coup.

There is another time during the year when Jacobsen’s comes to mind. At Northfield’s first Winter Walk, in 1998, we bought a Santa hat at Jacobsen’s department store. I wore that Santa hat that night, as we strolled along the streets enjoying this fun Christmas festivity in our small town. I have worn that Santa hat to Winter Walk every year I’ve gone since, and every time I think of… Jacobsen’s.

Northfield Winter Walk 2021…my Santa hat.

The store closed its doors in 2003, so we really didn’t get to enjoy and shop Jacobsen’s that many years like many of the townie’s did, but it still was a sad day when the doors closed on such a long standing tradition.

Winter Walks

Northfield’s Winter Walk took on an interesting twist for me this year. The children’s book author Kate DiCamillo was at our local bookstore, Content, for a book signing. I invited my daughter-in-love to come join me for Winter Walk, to meet and greet this author, who I knew was a favorite of hers.

Kate DiCamillo signing books at Content Bookstore.

First, my daughter-in-love and I went out for a nice dinner at a local restaurant, Reunion, and then we got in line for the book signing at Content. We were assigned a wait list number, which worked well and we didn’t have to wait long. It was a brief encounter, but sweet.

Enjoying our greeting time with Kate DiCamillo.

Understandably, Kate DiCamillo was masked which doesn’t make for lovely photos, but she was very gracious, and a joy to meet. (It was interesting to learn from Wikipedia that this beloved and award-winning children’s author received 473 rejection letters before her first book was published!)

Beautiful horses pulled a wagon, giving rides throughout the night. Photo taken 2021.

After shopping a bit in the children’s section of Content, we meandered along the closed-off main street lined with luminaries; going in and out of the stores, checking out the model trains at the library, waiting in line for a quick horse-drawn wagon ride, and hearing different groups playing or singing Christmas music.

The weather was mild, and the lights and crowds made it festive.

I love this tree that is lit up during the Christmas season, welcoming everyone to Northfield. It sits on top of the old Malt-O-Meal hot cereal plant, near downtown. Photo taken 2021.

Also, last week I took another walk along Central Park in Faribault. It was lined with creative and artsy Christmas trees.

The Christmas trees are decorated by local businesses, then donated to families who might not be able to afford a Christmas tree and decorations this year. For more about this event visit MN Prairie Roots…click here.

The Christmas trees are put on display in Central Park for a few days before they are given away. It’s a fun idea, and a benefit to others.

I especially enjoyed seeing the different tree toppers.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.

Northfield’s Winter Walk

The Minnesota Explorer is a magazine that highlights different events throughout our state. Recently, it featured an article on Christmas shopping in historic small towns. I love exploring different small towns and this sparked my interest, so I did a little research. I didn’t really need to shop for anything…much of my Christmas shopping was done…but the idea of walking in and out of stores, gazing at window displays, seeing Christmas lights light up the streets, was appealing to me.

A sign outside the Northfield Library. Inside the library were some model train displays. Not as many as in the past, but still fun to see.

After checking out a couple different towns I realized all I wanted was right here in my hometown of Northfield….and…the organized Winter Walk made it even more festive.

Bridge Square at dusk, the beginning of the Winter Walk.

I love to see the white-lit Christmas tree on top of the Malt-O-Meal hot cereal building at Christmastime. When we drive into town it always welcomes me home.

The Winter Walk happened last week on a beautiful evening. The weather was mild, stores were open late, luminaires lined the closed-off main street, Christmas lights lit up Bridge square and there are some fun window displays.

The streets were filled with many folks out enjoying the activities. It was a wonderful sight.

Colorful tree on Bridge Square…Santa’s small chalet in the background.

Fun necklaces were given away, until they ran out.

Walking along the street, tasting sweet treats, drinking cider and hot chocolate, smelling the wood burning fires in fire pits – offering warmth along the way,

There were multiple fire pits along the street for people to warm themselves by a fire. The aroma of the wood burning fires added to the ambiance.

watching the horse-drawn wagons full of people go by,

looking in the store windows and occasionally going into a store.

It was delightful.

Maybe I’ll visit a different small town next year but for now, Northfield’s Winter Walk was what I was looking for.

Northfield’s Winter Walk 2019

We had family visiting from Pennsylvania during Northfield’s annual Winter Walk last week. It was a fun way to showcase our beautiful downtown.

A favorite winter scene of mine: the lit tree on top of the Ames Mill building in Northfield.

Even though the air was cold, Gary’s brother and his wife were willing to participate in the festivities. The streets were full – with shoppers, carolers and folks just out enjoying the ambiance of this holiday tradition. Fresh snow had fallen earlier in the day.

Warming up at one of the many fire pits along closed-off Division street.

For the Winter Walk I always don a Santa hat – one I bought at Jacobsen’s Department Store at Northfield’s first Winter Walk, years ago. The beloved department store is no longer in business. I had an extra Santa hat and encouraged my sister-in-law to join me in the venture.

It is always fun to look in the shops and taste a delicious treat or two. Many store windows are decked out for Christmas and offer wonderful viewing: Quality Bakery and The Rare Pair to name two.

One of the window displays at Quality Bakery.

The Rare Pair in Northfield has interesting and creative window displays all year long.

In the yarn shop window a young woman was sitting in a chair, showing off her knitting skills as she knit a sweater using huge needles. Apparently her goal (or challenge) was to knit a sweater in four hours or less. The clock was ticking down beside her. She was well along on the project and probably reached her goal by the end of the evening.

This woman seemed to be enjoying herself, sitting in the window of the yarn shop in Northfield. The knitting needles were very large creating large stitches.

It was a delight to once again enjoy Northfield’s Winter Walk, and it was especially nice to share it with our out-of-town guests who experienced it for the first time, and liked it!

April Snow

When temperatures were near 70* on Monday we, along with many Minnesota hopefuls, thought winter as over…the grass had hints of green and all the snow had finally melted on the north side of our house, which is the front side, and always the last side to surrender the snow.

The snow melted and the bicycles and tricycles came out.

With the warm temperatures we were happy to be outside. We cut down our prairie grass in the backyard and the grandchildren enjoyed riding their bicycles on the clear sidewalks.

Later that same day I heard the forecast for blizzard conditions and it was hard to believe…until heavy snow started falling and accumulating quickly on Wednesday afternoon. We tucked ourselves safely in the house while the snow kept falling into the night.

The day before this snowfall our deck was clear of all snow…

Early the next morning I wanted to go outside for a walk and check out the effects of the snowstorm. I asked Zoey, our four-year-old granddaughter, to go with me. Her boots were packed away since we thought there would be no more snow, so I found two plastic bags…

I bundled her up, then put plastic bags over her shoes. I was planning to walk in the street, not play in the snow, so I thought the good old-fashioned trick with the plastic bags could work. And it did.

Improvised…plastic bags over the shoes instead of boots.

We were walking down the street toward the park when we heard thunder. This must be what they call thundersnow. We could not hear it while we were in the house. Soon the winds picked up and freezing rain began pelting from the sky, stinging our faces. It happened quickly. We turned around and went back home, once again settling ourselves inside for the day. We baked cookies.

Additional photos:

We woke up to our windows covered with snow.

Same window from the outside…snow stuck to the windows and siding.

A bouquet of beautiful white tulips sitting on our kitchen table inside, competing with the white snow and evergreens outside our kitchen windows.

Northfield’s 20th Annual Winter Walk

We attended the 20^th annual Winter Walk in Northfield last night. The downtown is festive: all lit up with white lights and Christmas decorations, different groups of carolers singing, and stores offering sweet treats.

One of the decorated trees downtown Northfield. Photo taken right before sunset.

We received a special invitation to stop in at a business in town, which is where we always start our walk, after tasting some wonderful morsels.

Beautiful and creative special invitation for a Winter Walk event.

Next we visited Content bookstore, then checked out two new stores downtown before heading to the old Model Train exhibits, set up in our library at the end of Division Street.

We strolled back towards Bridge Square, along the closed-off street, full of cheerful folks meandering, a horse-drawn carriage, fire pits, and different music groups. We stopped at a couple other favorite stores: The Rare Pair and an antique store. They were packed with people. Depending on the weather the stores can get very crowded. It was chilly and the stores were full.

Bridge Square during Winter Walk, Northfield.

When we first arrived downtown we caught the beginning of a parade. This is a first for Northfield’s Winter Walk. For me it was too chilly to stand out to watch it go by, but we did see a couple of the entries while walking to our first stop. I enjoyed seeing the tractor decorated in Christmas lights, then we dashed inside.

The lighted tractor to begin the parade at Northfield’s Winter Walk.

Last weekend we planned to go to Faribault’s Winterfest Parade of Lights, including fireworks, but it got postponed due to weather. How ironic, the Winterfest, postponed by winter weather. HA.

That parade has been rescheduled for December 14^th so hopefully it will be “warm” enough to bring our newly arrived grand-children from Africa to see it. “O, what fun…”

The first Thursday evening in December the city of Northfield blocks off Division Street (our main street) to traffic and puts out luminaries, brings in horses and sleighs for rides, has carolers singing, hosts Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus and the stores offer yummy treats and cider. It’s very festive and very popular – even with folks from the cities who come down to enjoy the special event. This year was Northfield’s 19^th Winter Walk.

It was a bit cold this year which seemed to keep the crowds to a manageable size (for me anyways) and there was a touch of snow on the ground which added some extra Christmas spirit.

Outside the Antiques of Northfield store.

Each year we enjoy walking around and make a few regular stops to certain places we like, including the Downtown Bicycles shop where I put my name in a drawing.

The library always hosts the Model Train Club and hobbyists set up their old model trains for a fun exhibit.

Stores along Division Street decorate their storefront windows with holiday displays so its fun to window shop too.

I wear a Santa hat to the winter walk every year. At the first Winter Walk, in 1999, I bought my Santa hat from Jacobsen’s Department Store and I have worn it to the Winter Walk every year since. Jacobsen’s Department was an “old-fashioned” department store with wonderful, old wooden floors, distinctive but pleasant smells emanating from years being in the same place, and unbelievable inventory. We were sorry to see it close in 2007.

I was notified the day after the Winter Walk that I had won the drawing at the bike shop. When I went to claim my prize I was hoping I won the water bottle instead of the t-shirt, but my to my delight both the water bottle and a t-shirt were included in the prize so I was given both. That made me smile.