It all started when Peggie Yager went for a walk 15 or 16 years ago. The longtime chatelaine of Miramont Castle was strolling the neighborhood, thinking about the beautiful decorations she and her helpers had set up throughout the building the Manitou Springs Historical Society owns.
“I thought how sad it was that we didn’t do something with it,” she said. “What if we provided a Christmas for children who aren’t going to have a Christmas?”
She went back to the castle and everybody liked the idea, but she didn’t think they could pull it off — it was late November. But they did, and Mercy at Miramont was born. The name pays homage to the Sisters of Mercy, who began tending tuberculosis patients in a nearby building in 1895.
Yager and her elves connect with families through Partners in Housing and other local nonprofits, and by word of mouth. Families receive a questionnaire about what the children want and need, what sizes they wear, their favorite colors, etc. The questionnaire also asks about something good the child has done during the year, so Santa can hand out praise along with gifts.
These people have nothing – Peggy Yager
In the beginning, they spent $100 per child for shoes, clothes and toys; that’s risen to about $175 this year.
“We partner with Macy’s, and they give us incredible deals on clothing so the children have quality clothes,” Yager said. “We buy the toys at Target and the shoes are from Famous Footwear.”
Yager has stories about searching for the special toys that children have their hearts set on and almost giving up, but by some miracle they suddenly appear.
“One little girl wanted one particular doll. I’m looking, and that doll isn’t anywhere. So I’m over in the toy truck department and there’s a box sticking out. I pulled it out, and it’s the doll.”
This year, the castle will host 63 children and their families on Saturday, Dec. 23. Miramont’s Queen’s Parlor Tea Room staff will prepare a dinner of turkey, ham and the trimmings for dining in the Great Hall.
Yager knows that the kids — and probably the parents — will ooh and aah when they walk in. She and her helpers spend three weeks decorating the castle; this year, they put up 24 trees, each following a theme.
“Everywhere they look, there’s glitter and people,” she said.
They’ll also ooh and aah when they see what the Women’s Fellowship at the Community Congregational Church has provided. Member Nancy Osburn Lindley delivered 12 snuggle-worthy comforters to the castle on Dec. 7.
Lindley and Yager have been friends since they were classmates at Manitou Springs High School; they graduated in 1969.
“When Nancy first came to us” about donating the comforters, Yager said, “it was wonderful because these people have nothing.”
Five to eight women gather on first Wednesdays to work on the comforters, made of donated fabric. Lindley thinks the fellowship has been making comforters since the 1930s; they’ve gone to good causes near and far. They have plenty of fabric, but will always welcome new helpers (men, too!).
“I love sharing and passing on the gifts that I have to people who are less fortunate,” Lindley said.
For Yager, the best part is imagining the kids going back to school after their holiday break. She knows that they’ll have nice new clothes and can tell their friends about meeting Santa in the magnificent castle.
“If you can make a difference in just one child’s life, you’ve done everything,” Yager said.