Just beside Pigeon Forge, the Walden’s Creek community can accurately be described as a picture of America in a $20 frame.
In many cases, entire families still reside in or near the homes of their youth. The natural beauty of the area and the mountain horizon makes it easy to understand lifelong resident Teresa Karson’s affection for this very special place.
Christmas is always a very busy time, especially when you are the “area relations representative” for Dollywood. With all the programs, parties, decorating and shopping for family and friends, the pace of the
holiday can become maddening at times. However, Karson manages the pressures of the celebration by taking the time to occasionally stop and smell the poinsettias. By remembering the reason for the season and making the time to embrace her remarkable family, Christmas is just as enchanting today as it has ever been.
The traditions of Christmas at Karson’s
mother’s Walden Creek home are as abundant as the brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews who continue to share them together. Like most families, over the years, their holiday has endured tragedy and celebrated triumph. Through it all, the home made potato candy survives.
Born 5th of her parents’ 6 children on July 24, 1962, Teresa has no shortage of Christmas tales. As a child, the family Christmas tree was cut from their own land and trimmed with hand made ornaments and garland. A little red wagon was used to collect the fire wood for the stove. Their stockings were filled with oranges, peppermint sticks and chocolate drop candy. A carefree time of snowball fights, new bicycles, electric race tracks, church plays and going to Granny & Papa Patty’s house for the holiday meal Granny spent days preparing, are memories Karson will never forget and always cherish.
Another highlight of the season was when all the kids would pile into the car to go see A.J. Kings home in Marshall Woods. The house and grounds were so brilliantly lighted and whimsically decorated, that every year many families made driving by the Kings’ residence a long standing Christmas tradition.
Teresa graduated from Sevier County High School in 1980, and as she and her siblings grew up, their grandparents grew older, until finally by the mid-1980’s they could no longer care for themselves, much less the whole family. So, after a lifetime of Christmases at Granny & Papa Patty’s, her mother Kathleen took charge of the holiday feast.
The result of a great tragedy, Kathleen Drinnen has been a single parent for most of Teresa’s life. As the rock her entire family is built upon, she remains loving, strong and protective of all her children. Since assuming the role as matriarch, like her mother before, she is now the one with the grandchildren who will one day grow up to tell their young ones about Christmas at Grandma Kathleen’s house.
I would like to thank Teresa Karson for sharing her memories as I wish for each of you on this Christmas, that you will be blessed to open your door to a porch overflowing with those who love you. I pray kindness will embrace you throughout the day until the peaceful evening allows you to lay your head to rest with grateful thoughts. For, it is truly great to be alive, and be in Tennessee. Merry Christmas!
Henry Piarrot is a lodging manager in SevierCounty. Please send all story recommendations to hpiarrot@yahoo.com