Before the trees are trimmed at the Missouri Governor’s mansion each holiday season, true magic arrives first with three spirited women from Silver Dollar City who bring sparkle from the Heart of the Ozarks to those historic halls in Jefferson City.
For years now, Visuals Team artisans Kelly Eutsler, Carrie Duvall and Karen McCaulley have been invited by two governors and two First Ladies to transform the historic residence for Christmas. What began as a simple call for help has grown into a beloved tradition shared between Jefferson City and America’s #1 Theme Park.
Each fall, the team meets with mansion staff to dream up that year’s theme—sometimes elegant, sometimes nostalgic, always meaningful. Together, they imagine the kind of Christmas that invites every visitor to stop in the doorway and whisper, “Wow.”
The team was delighted to learn that Gov. Mike Kehoe and his wife, Claudia, wanted to continue the tradition of having the “City girls” decorate the mansion. So, once again, the ladies packed up like they’re heading to visit family and stepped into a place that feels both grand and warmly familiar.
“They truly do treat us like family,” Kelly says with a smile. “We joke that we move in for the week. The mansion staff always welcomes us so sweetly and checks on us like we’re cousins who’ve come home.”
“So much ribbon,” Kelly laughs. “So many bins to sort through. To see it all come together by the end of the week still makes us smile. From garland down the grand staircase to wreaths in the windows, seeing the final touches shine makes us all really proud.”
Carrie Duvall | Visual Design Supervisor
By the week’s end, the mansion is transformed. The trees glow. The mantels shine. The staircase spills with greenery. And somewhere in the midst of magic, you can see “heart prints” from of the Ozarks—the handcrafted holiday visions and spirit from Silver Dollar City.
As Public Relations Manager for the Silver Dollar City Company, she is eager to tap into her journalism background to hunt down “heart tugs” to write about—those stories that celebrate…
