The Magic Pine Cone

Just before Christmas I was stricken with that hacky, achey, coughy, kick your assy, thing that was going around. I didn’t much like it. So I went to see my doctor, Dr. Jason Knutson over at the Avera Medical Center McGreevy 69th & Western here in Sioux Falls. If you’re going to be sick it’s nice to be able to take your ills to someone like Dr. Knutson. He’s one of the really good ones. After the pleasantries of diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis we talked about his family’s upcoming holiday plans. That’s when I first heard about “The Magic Pine Cone”. As my Doc explained how they practiced this family tradition I thought that this was not only unbelievable original but exquisitely cool!

As I understand it, this is how it works: Jason & Tricia have two delightful little children, Lane & Siri. And they all spend some of their Christmas holiday time at their cabin in the Black Hills. While there they infuse “The Magic Pine Cone” with silver paint and glitter. They then hide the cone outside of there home in the adjacent hills. And on the night before Christmas Lane & Siri, who of course know that it is indeed the magic of Christmas that must produce this special seed, search the outdoors for this one special cone. Once they find it they bring it inside and place it a traditional Christmas tree stand. Then it’s off to bed for the kids. And while they are off with visions of sugar plumbs dancing in their heads something most magical happens in that tree stand. When the kids awaken in the morning they are greeted by a fully grown and smartly decorated Christmas tree in the stand where the pine cone had been the night before.  Magically amazing!

I think this is one of the coolest family traditions.  It’s one of those things that I am sure they will all treasure for generations.  I want to thank the whole Knutson family for sharing these pictures and this special event.