Staff photo by Connor Cummiskey Harley Deree, 2, sits in a chair with a royal scepter for her portrait as a Polar Princess at the Polar X-Press event Saturday in Sleepy Eye. See more photos of Sleepy Eye’s Polar X-Press on page 6B.

SLEEPY EYE — A new Christmas tradition is starting up in downtown Sleepy Eye offering a variety of weekend activities all December.

The Polar X-Press has three locations all on Main St. between 3rd St. Ave. N.W. and 1st Ave. North. At each one families can visit Santa, view a room of Christmas trees, get a princess makeover and do a little holiday shopping.

“This year it (Polar X-Press) is sponsored by the Downtown District Committee and the proceeds from, it is a free-will offering, the proceeds will go to help revitalize downtown Sleepy Eye,” Master of Ceremonies Nichole Krenz said.

At the corner of 3rd Ave. N.W. and Main St. W. was a building with the Avenue of Trees, Polar Princesses and vendors.

The Avenue features 22 business-sponsored Christmas trees. A business could pay $50 to decorate a tree, that they were encouraged to create a theme related to their business.

“I am a teacher at Sleepy Eye Public, my classroom sponsored a tree so the kids made the ornaments and then on our tree we have crayons and glue sticks and all of that,” Krenz said.

For $30, children could wear a princess dress and get their hair and makeup done by Hairstylist Heather Neid.

Inspired by the Disney film “Frozen,” the girls also get a t-shirt and can ride on the Corn Days float for next year’s Polar X-Press, Krenz said.

“It is so wonderful to see the little girls as the come and get dressed up and once they are dressed up in their hair and makeup they get to take their pictures,” Krenz said.

At Krenz Real Estate and Auction, children could meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. All the Polar Princesses can stay in their outfit while they explored the various sites.

Across the street from Santa is the Elves’ Workshop. There a tableau of elves work on toys and kids can put together foam crafts of reindeer, wreaths, gingerbread houses and more.

In back there is a gift shop where parents or grandparents can pick up some presents or get ideas from their children.

The inspiration for Polar X-Press goes back to a childhood memory of Krenz’. She spent a decade growing up in Japan because her father, Ken Voigt, was in the military.

“Every year they would have what they called the Festival of Trees,” Krenz said. “Different ships, wives’ club organizations, Girl Scouts, different things that were on the military base that I lived on — they would sponsor trees.”

From that, the event grew out into a multi-site, month-long celebration of the holidays. It began the first weekend of December and continues to the end of the month.

On Saturdays, Dec. 16 and 23, from 2-7 p.m. at all the same locations families can enjoy what Krenz hopes will become a regular tradition.

To have a daughter made up as a Polar Princess call Kathy Krenz at (507) 794-2161. For more information visit the Polar X-Press Event Facebook page.