Family of the ‘magical Mrs. Claus’ continues her holiday legacy
Jean Cooper died in October, but her family continued her decorating tradition for one more year
A longstanding holiday tradition enjoyed by hundreds of people over the years will come to an end this year, after the death of a woman known by many as “the magical Mrs. Claus."
For decades, Jean Cooper’s small bungalow tucked away on 81st Street embodied Christmas cheer. From the outside, it looked like any other house on the block, but the inside was decorated in a showy and intricate display that would make most department stores jealous.
The tradition began small — just a few greeting cards adorning the walls — but it quickly grew from there.
“An extra tree became an extra four trees, and then eight trees, until it eventually became a beautiful masterpiece,” said her daughter, Donna Cooper.
“[It started in the kitchen] and then it grew into the dining room, the dining room to the living room, and eventually it covered every room of the house."
There wasn’t a single surface on the main floor that didn’t include several Christmas decorations. It would take Cooper six weeks to get everything set up. She began the process every Thanksgiving, with the goal of finishing by the Grey Cup weekend in early November.
The rooms were overflowing with decorations, to the point where Cooper would move her bedroom to the basement over the holidays.
The word spreads
Word of Cooper’s annual tradition eventually spread, and she began offering tours.
Visitors gained admission to the indoor winter wonderland with donations to the Edmonton Food Bank, which once helped Cooper -- who became a widow with six children at the age of 30 -- through several tough Christmases.
"The food bank certainly helped us have many a Christmas dinner that may have been far more meagre than they were. Her giving back was important as her way of thank you.”
Over the years, hundreds of people filed through the decked out halls of Cooper’s home. She left a guest book out for the visitors and eventually filled five thick binders with the notes of thanks and appreciation.
When she died in October, her children decided to continue the decorating tradition - for one final year.
‘A labour of love’
Cooper’s daughter is in awe of her mother’s generous spirit.
“You know what amazes me? When you put your own Christmas tree up, you take every ball out of the box. You put a little ring on it, you hang it up,” she said with tears in her eyes.
“And when you think as you look around this house how much effort that is to have hung up every single thing individually. It’s amazing. It’s just amazing to me. To have had the patience, imagine all the Christmas lights you would have had to untangle. To have the patience, to have the creativity, it’s truly a labour of love, it really is.”
A memorial fund has been set up in Cooper’s name at the Edmonton Food Bank. Although the decorating tradition will not necessarily continue to the same extent, Cooper's legacy will live on.
“In one way or another, that legacy will live on forever,” her daughter said. “Whether it’s through this, or in other ways that we can do that, it will last forever.”