Stephanie and Mark Niemuth hosted the 2011 Cameron Family Christmas at their house in Spring Hill, TN.
It was a Christmas we were all very excited for, and I'm titling it the Cuckoo Christmas.
I wanted to get Stephanie and Mark something special that they could have as a decoration out each Christmas and remember this first family Christmas that we were all together since all 3 sisters and husbands had been married.
I thought about our childhoods, and we spent most all our Christmas in the Colorado Rockies and often took a skiing trip where we excitedly anticipated the day we would rent our Skis at a rental shop that looked like a Swiss Chalet. Somehow this led me to a Cuckoo Clock...like a Swiss Chalet?!? Yes! Then I recalled we had a cuckoo clock when we lived in Indiana that I personally loved running and watching the bird pop out and cuckoo. But when we moved I think it broke and Mom never hung it back up.
So I went on the hunt for a Cuckoo Clock, with about 2 weeks before Christmas Day. Stephanie and Mark would never expect a Cuckoo Clock, and I would get a real nice one, and each Christmas Mark and Stephanie could deck their hall with this memorable Cuckoo Clock that brought together all our Holiday memories!!
Now I found out a lot about these clocks, first thing I found out was new wooden one was a bit out of my price range... like $2,000! After more research, I knew what I wanted: a Swiss Chalet with a cuckoo bird, and dancers. It just seemed perfect for Stephanie and Mark.
But seriously, it was just very difficult to find! I knew I would have to buy a used vintage clock to keep the price down so I began my search on craigslist in San Diego, LA, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Nashville, and lastly Minneapolis. Time was ticking and each clock post I responded to replied that they sold their clock the day before! WHAT!?! I NEED that CLOCK!! So I started getting desperate and I became obsessed with this hunt for the Cuckoo Clock. So obsessed, that Eric tried to carefully talk me out of this idea. He said it was too tough to pull off with this little time. But it was the PERFECT gift, and I wanted it too much to give up. I even began sharing my need of this Christmas Miracle at work. I was asking patients at my Physical Therapy Clinic if they had a clock, or knew someone who did who would sell me their clock. My boss Winston even said, "Michelle I think this Cuckoo Clock is driving you Cuckoo!" Others said "You are getting your sister a cuckoo clock? Does she want one?" "Is it a white elephant or gag gift?" "Those things are annoying and expensive." "I had one but threw it out, nobody likes those anymore." Ohhh people, you don't understand, this gift is the BEST gift in of all time and Cuckoo Clock are IN-STYLE - check out the modern one from Crate&Barrel - yeah- I know Steph and Mark with realize they should have been asking for one alllll along when they open it!
Well I finally found one!!! I narrowed my demographic of people and places where I could find the most used Cuckoo Clocks in USA and I had a connection....Minneapolis. Why?? Majority of Cuckoo Clocks are made in Germany or nearby countries, most people who have these either brought them from their motherlands or received them as gifts and they are now family heirlooms being passes down. And I just happened to marry a MN Viking of German decent. So I found the jackpot in Minneapolis! Home of the German, Norwegien, and Scandinavian people.
It was 4 days before Christmas, I had my mother-in-law, Marie assist as my little elf from the North which totally saved this Cuckoo Christmas!! She went and bought this Cuckoo Clock and Express Mailed it to Stephanies house. Arrival date was set for Christmas EVE!!! Sure enough it showed up that morning. I heard the doorbell, shrieked with joy and I looked out the window and saw the mail lady. I ran to the door and ran to her. I took the clock and thanked her and thanked her and told her Merry Christmas probably 5 times!
Oh I was so nervous, I kept telling Stephanie I was getting her the best present ever! I told her how excited I was to give her and Mark their gift and that I might cry, or jump up and down when she opens it!
I wrapped it like this: DO NOT TOUCH. LEGENDARY.
I told her to stand back, and not get too close, I don't want her spoiling it or disturbing it. I made everyone promise not to touch it, especially after Mark thought it was funny to hit the box and yell. So I placed it under the sofa table, and randomly that night I would ask if everyone could be quiet so I could put my ear close to it and "check on it". hahaha Stephanie was like "You are freaking me out! is something alive in there?! Michelle it can't breathe!" I laughed and just kept telling her it was going to be sooo legendary!
Finally Christmas came, and it was the last gift to be opened. I had everyone stand around the kitchen table and watch Mark and Stephanie open it. Oh it was wonderful, just like a Christmas Miracle! They both loved it! Mark even loved it! He was so careful with it and worked hard with Josh and Eric to hang the weights just right so it would work.
So here is it, Swiss Chalet, Cuckoo Bird at top, dancers, and this even came with a wood chopping man by a saw mill! It is all original and painted delicately. Its a German work of art for an Art teacher who married a German and it ties both our past memories and future memories together!
They loved it!
And they loved it so much they said they were going to keep it up all year long! Not just at Christmas!
So that is the Story of the Cuckoo Christmas Miracle! Again special thanks to Marie my little Northern Elf! And I shared the story with everyone at my work when I got back and they all loved it! It was a very special Christmas, and I'll share the rest of the details in my next post!
Deck the Halls with Cuckoo Clocks!! FahLalalalalalalala!
Merry Christmas Niemuths!
.jpg)
