The Real 12 Days of Christmas
Partridge in a Pear Tree on South Sparks Street, State College
My book "Who is Stealing the 12 Days of Christmas?" is based on a real Christmas display the neighbors on South Sparks Street in State College, Pa., put up each year.
This year I decided to go out and take photos of my inspiration for the story, and here they are! As you see, it was a gloomy day, but that's Central Pennsylvania in December for you.
Eight maids a'milking.
In the book, the decorations start disappearing, first a goose, then a swan, then the partridge in the pear tree. Even more mysterious, the decorations start coming back! Alex Parakeet, his best friend Yasmeen Popp, and ace detective cat Luau all investigate. I mean, what could be more logical than a cat investigating the disappearance of big, fat holiday birds?
The day I visited South Sparks Street, all the decorations were in place -- no thieves on the loose.
Eleven Ladies Dancing on South Sparks Street in State College.
Five go-o-o-old rings.