Père Noël Raffle to Benefit HHA’s Walking Tour Program

It’s more sought-after than the holiday season’s hottest toy:  a custom-designed, hand-crafted Père Noël Santa by Hudson artist Brigitte Gottfried.

And you don’t have to break the bank, or “know someone,” or camp out on Black Friday to get one. A winning $1 raffle ticket is all it takes.

Gottfried has graciously donated one of her merry masterpieces to be raffled off to benefit Hudson Heritage Association. The 20-inch Père Noël (French for “Father Christmas”) sits in the window of Vignettes boutique, 140 North Main Street in Hudson. Raffle tickets, at $1 each, are now on sale.

The drawing will take place on Sunday, November 26, at the culmination of the Merchants of Hudson’s “Come Home to Hudson” weekend. All proceeds from the raffle will benefit Hudson Heritage Association’s educational programs, notably the printing and promotion of HHA’s series of walking-tour guides/maps, which lead visitors through Hudson’s Historic District.

“’Come Home to Hudson’ weekend is the perfect time for current and former Hudson residents to start of the holiday season by enjoying a walking tour through the old village and admiring our unique architecture,” said Inga Walker, HHA co-president.

“We are so grateful to Brigitte Gottfried for donating one of her popular Santas to help us showcase Hudson’s historic treasures.”

A native of Lille, France, Gottfried has been handcrafting her coveted Père Noël creations with carefully chosen fabrics and furs since the late-1980s. The Hudson resident’s work is sold in select boutiques, including Vignettes in Hudson, Chestnut Hill Home in Chagrin Falls and Le Marché in Norfolk, Va.