Ms. Christmas still here with holiday gifts

Santa Claus may come just once a year, but Ms. Christmas lives in Cloquet year-round. Paula Maki, aka Ms. Christmas, founded her own nonprofit to give gifts and a little Christmas caring to people in adult foster homes, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Maki solicits donations of gift items from local and national companies (see photo below) which she passes on in December.

Although it's been a challenging year for Maki healthwise, she still gave presents to residents of numerous local senior living facilities, including Cloquet's Sunnyside Care Center, Larson Commons and much more.

"I almost gave up," Maki said. "Then one night I woke up and said to myself, I can't give up. I started getting busy. I listened to myself and got back on that horse. But I believe this was a God thing. He woke me up." Email Ms. Christmas at

[email protected].