Christmas Potato

In 2010 we ran our first computerized Christmas light display. Each morning I would go around and make sure everything was staked down and I started finding potatoes in my yard. They were in zip lock bags with a note that read:

The Story of the Christmas Potato

No one is quite sure how the tradition of the Christmas potato began. Many believe it began in the later half of the 20th century when a young man tossed seasonal greetings wrapped around uncooked potatoes into the yards of houses decorated with Christmas lights. It was his way of saying, "Thank you

and Merry Christmas."

Before the advent of the Christmas Potato there was no way to easily thank those who brighten our holiday season with their unselfish efforts. Now each year children and adults alike look forward to the annual pitching of the holiday spud.

But why a potato? The young man grew up in a town called Topeka, which for many years was commonly believed to mean "A good place to dig potatoes."