Breaking News

Life

Majolica platter features unique Christmas symbols

Lifestyle Columns

With its rings of holly branches, this majolica platter carries the spirit of Christmas. And with its $7,735 sale price at Strawser Auction Group, it’s certainly something to celebrate! But a closer look shows its symbols are a little different from the decorations most of us may be used to. The birds around the rim are robins; not something you often see on American Christmas decorations, but very popular in the United Kingdom. Robins are often seen there in the winter because they migrate there from Scandinavia and Continental Europe. Then there are the portrait medallions of a ...

Holiday displays dazzle New Ulm

Lifestyle Feature

One of many people’s favorite Christmas traditions is walking around town looking at all of the Christmas lights and decorations that their neighbors have put up for the holiday season. New Ulm is no stranger to exceptional light decorations, and those traversing town are sure to have plenty ...

Waiting for snow

Lifestyle Columns

I’ve been waiting for snow. I am not a winter sport enthusiast or anything like that, but I do enjoy walking in the snow with my dog. She loves snow. If it’s snowing when we go out she tries to catch the snowflakes in her mouth as they flutter and fall. She can barely contain herself and pulls at the leash to get into the yard to play in it. Watching her roll around in the freshly fallen snow reminds me of my favorite picture books about snow, so I thought I would share some with you. A book my dog would love is called “Snow! Snow! Snow!” by Lee Harper. One night a cold wind ...

Collectors place high value on antique displays

Lifestyle Columns

It’s difficult to escape holiday shopping, whether you’re buying gifts, stocking up for dinner parties or just taking advantage of a sale. And stores make sure to entice you with flashy, tempting displays. Even if you’re not a fan of the commercialization of the holidays, store displays can be works of art. But collectors of antique advertising have known this for a long time. Window displays often have the most interesting images, the cleverest ideas and the latest technical effects. Look at this automaton, which sold for $1,560 at Potter & Potter Auctions. It originally stood ...

‘World peace through understanding’

Life

Named after the city of Ulm, a twin city of Neu-Ulm in southern Germany, New Ulm has proudly worn its German heart and heritage on its sleeve — or Lederhosen — since it was founded in 1854 by the German Land Company of Chicago. Never a city to let its rich history or roots fade, New Ulm ...

Holiday Lights in Motion takes a break

Lifestyle Feature

Sleepy Eye Holiday Lights in Motion, a Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s event that grew to a display of 500,000 LED lights on 110 trees in Sportsman’s Park is taking a year off to reorganize. “We are in the process of reorganizing the set-up process with hopes of recruiting ...