Festivities at Faribault

December is the time to celebrate the holidays with all of your friends and family.  It is the time to reflect on the past 11 months and to celebrate the wins.  We want to share some of our holiday and winter traditions with you all to serve as some celebration inspo as we say goodbye to 2022 and welcome in 2023.

Spreading Cheer in Faribault!

One of the newer holiday traditions for the COF team is the Christmas Tree Decorating and Donation in Central Park in Downtown Faribault.  The Faribault Parks and Recreation Department started this event back in 2020 so people could gather outside and celebrate the holidays.  Local businesses sponsor a tree and decorate them the Monday after Thanksgiving, just in time for the Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism's Winterfest!  All of our award-winning Blue cheeses inspired our “Blue Christmas” themed tree.  In a couple weeks, all of the trees will be donated to the St. Vincent DePaul Society in Faribault and given to families who are in need of a tree.

The tree lighting ceremony isn’t the only part of the Winterfest that we look forward to every year.  The finale of Winterfest is the Parade of Lights.  Each year, local businesses decorate floats and flaunt their masterpieces at the parade.  We love to participate in this event!  Not only do we get to work together as a team to build our float, but also we get to celebrate as we march down Central street proudly showing off our festive display.  It’s a great time to mingle with our co-workers, friends and family members and to celebrate the winter in Faribault.

Holiday Merriment

Besides the holiday traditions we celebrate together in Faribault, our team has some of their own that they would like to share.

“We love to decorate the Christmas tree while singing Christmas carols and wearing matching festive PJ’s.  We also love a good charcuterie board for snacking during the holidays.”- Tara, Affinage Supervisor

“We are very simple and do not have a Christmas tradition.  We get together, have a great meal and then gather in the living room to open presents.  We love watching the children open their presents and seeing their faces light up when they see what they got.  While the kids are playing with their toys, we will have a cup of coffee or hot cocoa before having apple or blueberry pie.”- Nicole, Packaging Supervisor

“I don’t have set Christmas traditions, but I do love to get in the holiday spirit by attending local, festive events.  One big event in Chicago (where I grew up) that is popular is the Christkindlmarket, a German-style outdoor market.  You drink hot mulled wine from Germany, called Glühwein, shop for presents from local-vendors and eat delicious German food.  This year, we will go to the European Christmas Market in St. Paul for a similar holiday experience.  It’s an outdoor market held at St. Paul’s Union Depot.  Mulled-wine, potato pancakes, wurst and pierogis - It’s perfect!”- Erin, Sales Manager