Christmas Opening with our Starlight will follow the same format as last year—collectors will be able to obtain their premier number starting at 9:00am. All pieces will be pre-numbered and all pieces made available during that weekend will be pre-signed by Judi Vaillancourt. Additionally, this year’s Starlight Santa will also be limited to an edition of 500.
Vaillancourt Folk Art is known for doing Christmas in a big way. With breathtaking decorative themes changing each year, their gallery is truly transformed into a winter wonderland that is a cherished experience for thousands of families a year. In addition, philanthropy has always played an important role for the Vaillancourts, which is why Judi has created the annual Starlight Santa each year since 1990. The Christmas Opening kicks off the season with the first glimpse of the decorations and the availability of purchasing the premiere numbers of the annual Starlight Santa.
Starlight Santas
Each year, Judi Vaillancourt designs a special chalkware Santa with a portion of the proceeds donated to a charity focused on Children. This annual Santa is produced as a limited edition of 500 and is retired on Christmas Day (never to be produced again!). The Starlight Santa has become one of the most sought-after collectibles in the domestic Christmas market.
Philanthropy
In 1990, Vaillancourt Folk Art partnered with a children’s foundation—a non-profit organization dedicated to helping seriously ill children and their families cope with pain, fear, and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. In 2013, Vaillancourt focused on a local organization, UMass Chan Medical School where money is directly used to help kids get through whatever treatment they are undergoing through the Children’s Medical Center’s Child Life Program’s Music Therapy Program. The program assists in the care for critically ill children and helps to alleviate stress and anxiety through therapeutic play. This treatment relies on philanthropic support as it is not covered by commercial insurance, despite the significant increase in the number of children experiencing mental and behavioral health concerns in recent years.
