Christmas quilt jacket comes full circle

In the Oct. 1 Main Street column I wrote ...

“Last winter, (husband) Jesse and I were watching a Hallmark Christmas movie and one of the characters was wearing a Christmas quilt jacket,” Alisha Kinerson recalls. “And I have never needed anything more.”

Fast forward to now and Alisha has a beautiful custom-made Christmas quilt jacket. It was a birthday gift from her thoughtful husband who managed to keep it a surprise until the very end when fittings were needed.

And in a small world coincidence, the actress playing the character in Hallmark’s “Haul Out the Holly,” whose jacket caught Alisha’s eye, was none other than our very own Ellen Travolta.

Turns out Alisha has never met Ellen but told me that if she were to meet her now she “can geek out and show her how much I loved her jackets from the movies!”

We all know how much Ellen loves Christmas so I think she and Alisha would become fast friends.

Stay tuned ...

Now as Paul Harvey used to say ... here’s the rest of the story.

The Monday following the publication of the column my friend, Ellen, called me. She said she’d had several friends reach out after reading Alisha’s story. Ellen asked if I could arrange a meeting. Absolutely I said, with the caveat that I wanted to be there, too. She said she’d bring the original jacket from the movie.

So this week, in front of the cozy fireplace in The Coeur d’Alene Resort lobby, I was able to introduce Alisha and Ellen. Each had brought their beautiful Christmas quilt jackets for show and tell. Conversation and stories flowed between the two like old friends just catching up. My own gratitude cup was filled to the brim for new friends like Alisha who allow me to share their stories in this column and for longtime friends like Ellen whose kind heart and incredible stories are such a gift.

I love a good Christmas miracle on Main Street, and smiles and laughter and living in a place that’s like a real life Hallmark movie!

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Kootenai Health has a great opportunity for pianists who are seasoned performers or who just love to play, to share their talent. There’s a new baby grand piano in the hospital’s beautiful lobby, purchased with an Idaho Community Foundation grant. So the search is on for volunteers to create a soothing and welcoming environment for patients, their families and the staff.

Music reduces stress and anxiety, promotes healing and calm and fosters a warm inviting atmosphere. Contact 208-625-6600

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Happy Birthday today to Jazmine Brown, Whitney Brown, Dick Brantley, Sara Fetters and Chastin Jaeger. Tomorrow, our youngest grandson Connor Huft shares a birthday with Teddy Allred, Greg Helbling, Nathan Tull, Holly Hansen, Christopher Adamson, Tim Snyder and Margaret VanLeuven. Friday’s birthday celebrants are Rocky Banks, Melissa Hjeltness, Adam Slobodow, Randy Millsap and David Ingalls. On Saturday, Damon Darakjy, Jack Price, Mary Foeller, Kyley Greer and Kathryn Arrand will put on their party hats. Gail McGaughey, Patricia Benes, Shweta Bangaloree Green, Scott Peterson, Wanda Corcoran, Linda Jones and Brock Prince celebrate the anniversary of their birth Sunday. Cade Coffey, Trinity Newman, Brenda Willoughby, Anthony Beckstead, David Cole, Jen Butler, Deirdre Eldredge, Deeann Zahn and Aidyn Dugger enjoy their birthday cake Monday. Melanie Simpson, Terri Gervais, Laura McNeil, Jenni Gibson, Jill Swoboda, Jonathan Mueller, Tracie Olin Smith, Kathleen Clancy, Bernadette Oaks, Heather Montee, Dale Fitch, Jamie Oliver and Ashley Gerzina blow out the candles Oct. 28.

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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email [email protected].