Long before the Elf on the Shelf became a tradition for many, local craftsman Jim Getzfred created and placed in many homes a Santa carved from wood that stood. A collection of Jim’s Christmas carvings is currently on display at the Bank of Elgin, but what is not on display is the story behind the collection. A few days ago, I had the pleasure of visiting with Jim and his wife Betty to learn more about this collection and all of his holiday creations.
In the early ‘80s, Betty’s mother, Katherine, gave Jim the gift that would keep on giving. However, it took about two years after receiving the beginner, three knife carving set from Betty’s mother before Jim finally decided to try his hand at wood carving. He remembered, “The knives were very sharp, too sharp for me to handle, so along with Mary Miller, JoAnn Richart, and Ina Kittelson, I took a class in wood carving. Ina Kittelson cut her finger, and a gentleman laid his arm open with one of the knives.” Chuckling, he added, “She was just done. Her knives stayed in her drawer ever since. She wouldn’t touch it, but for some reason, I persisted. I, too, have ended with a few cuts along the way. I have been to the E.R. enough times that they now laugh and ask me what I had been carving?” He admits the early creations were quite primitive but learned patience is necessary for carving. Starting with a small woodblock and a pattern, Jim began to carve out the first of many holiday Santa’s. To read the full story about Jim’s creations, turn to the this week’s edition of the Elgin Review.
