Coeur d’Alene natives Dexter Yates and Sandy Emerson have known each other for as long as either can remember. This year, the longtime friends will help transport audiences back to a 1960s Coeur d’Alene Christmas.

In September, the Shotwell family requested submissions of 1960s Christmas memories for the annual Coeur d’Alene Christmas Show. Yates’ and Emerson’s stories were selected.

“Those two stories really complimented our show,” Jenny Shotwell said. “It sounded like such an idyllic place to grow up and have Christmas.”

Shotwell said she was impressed by the effort and detail in both submissions. Emerson submitted 12 handwritten pages describing Christmas in Coeur d’Alene during his childhood.

“We all grew up in Coeur d’Alene together and got together regularly,” Emerson said. “That was back when we had snow, pretty deep snow, and the lake froze over.”

Coeur d’Alene was a much smaller community then, and many residents who grew up there still maintain close ties. Emerson and Yates still meet with their high school graduating class of 1963 for breakfast each month.

“It was a small town,” Yates said. “It was such a small community, when you would go downtown everyone would know who you are.”

It was the era when ski resorts began to open, Emerson said, and before polyester winter gear kept people insulated from the cold. In his submission, Emerson recalled sledding in the neighborhoods, family gatherings and snow-covered streets.

“Just picture being under a street light down there with all those kids sledding,” Emerson said, “and it's snowing, and there’s big trees down there, and it’s one of the most beautiful scenes you could possibly imagine.”

The Coeur d’Alene Christmas Show is a tradition Ellen Travolta started in 2013. The Shotwell family carries on the tradition, with each year focusing on a different era.

Members of the Shotwell family will perform Yates’ and Emerson’s stories as monologues in this year’s production, “My Favorite Things.” The show also features holiday music from the 1960s and references from Press archives to help evoke the era.

Both men said they enjoy attending the annual performance and look forward to seeing their memories brought to life on stage.

“The Shotwells are performers par-excellence,” Emerson said. “The singing they can do is just top notch, but they also have this narrative that they do.”

Tickets for the Coeur d’Alene Christmas Show are on sale. The performance features a live band with Jenny and Clark Shotwell on piano, Dalton Shotwell on drums, and Skye Shotwell and all family members on vocals. Local musicians Eric Haakenson and Craig Catlett will also perform.

Performances run Nov. 27-Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $35 and available at cdachristmas.com. The show is recommended for ages 6 and older.

    Sandy Emerson and Dexter Yates at the Coeur d'Alene Resort.