PIQUA — The Friends of the Piqua Public Library will present “Christmas Around Town” on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. in the lobby of the Piqua Public Library.

The program will feature Mary Beth Barhorst, of Readmore’s Hallmark; Gary Anderson, of the Apple Tree Gallery; and Connie Mitchell Porcher, founder of celebrate365.com.

Barhorst will speak about 50 years of Hallmark ornaments. She is celebrating 20 years as manager of Readmore’s Hallmark in the Piqua location. Hallmark ornaments feature favorite characters and Keepsake ornaments. The ornaments are for all year long.

Anderson will speak about feather trees and demonstrate part of the process. Anderson and his wife Shirley started the Apple Tree Gallery in 1994 as an antique store. In 1998 they added the year-round Christmas and holiday section. Feather trees originated in Germany and are among the first artificial Christmas trees. They are made from goose feathers to look like pine needles and are a time-consuming process.

Mitchell Porcher will speak on “Ornanomics” (ornaments plus economics). We will learn how world events and economics influence glass Christmas ornament evolution and history. We will learn how Queen Victoria led the way to our modern Christmas traditions. We will see how Mitchell Porcher’s personal holiday collection and ornament passion have evolved to the present day and her celebrate365.com website.

Mitchell Porcher is an accomplished Spanish teacher. She taught in the Wapakoneta schools and is currently retired. She and Gary Anderson are members of the Golden Glow of Christmas Past, an international group of avid vintage and antique Christmas collectors.

The free tickets will be available at the library Thursday, Sept. 26, for the Friends of the Library and Saturday, Sept. 28, for the general public. Come to the program and get in the Christmas spirit early this year.