Byers Reindeer with Wreath

In the late 1960s, Joyce Byers, an amateur artist with a degree in fashion design, was disappointed in what she was seeing in the stores: aluminum tinsel trees with garish blue lights. She was looking for holiday decorations with warmth that showed respect for timeless traditions and her own memories of Christmas. From scraps of fabric, a coat hanger, pieces of fur and other materials around the house, Joyce created the first Byers’ Choice Carolers.  These Carolers graced the Byers’ dining room table that Christmas, and Joyce gave them as gifts to family and friends. A neighbor suggested taking them to a local store, where they sold quickly. Soon stores around the country were asking for Carolers.  The Byers team now oversees a team of 100 artisans in Pennsylvania who now handcraft the same creations that started out on the dining room table many years ago. We’re pleased that the Byers family has become such close friends to the Vaillancourt family over the years.