Artist Stephen Guyton creates last Christmas in Florence ornament

As you decorate your Christmas trees this year, don’t forget to leave some room for a little piece of Florence. For the past 20 years, a limited edition ornament has been designed by Florence artist Stephen Guyton and sold to help those in Florence with disabilities.

But that streak is about to end.

Guyton is moving soon to Concord, NC, bringing an end to the annual ornaments depicting images, places and people from around the Pee Dee.

In 1994 when Guyton was approached about doing an ornament, the Ornament of Hope has just been released to raise funds for special needs in Charleston. Guyton was interested in the doing something similar but did not want to make just a single ornament.

“A friend of my mother asked me to do an ornament,” Guyton said. “I said that I would, but I wanted to do it for 10 years. This will be the 20th year and will probably be the last one.”

The ornaments in years past have depicted everything from local buildings and important figures in Florence’s past to people dancing the shag, the South Carolina state dance. This year’s ornament features that Florence County Museum, set to open in its new location early next year.

An employee of Amtrak for 31 years, Guyton’s first three ornaments were train related.

“The first ornament was the old 10-31 steam engine that sat down near the railroad,” Guyton said. “People used to put Lionel trains around their trees so I thought why not put a symbol of the railroad. That was the beginning of Florence.”

Reflecting on the last year of creating the ornament, Guyton said he has enjoyed the experience. Even more though, Guyton said being a part of making disabled peoples lives better has been the most rewarding.


“The specials needs is a very poignant part of Florence,” Guyton said. “I think it is a kinder, gentler setting. These folks are definitely in need of things to make their lives easier and that is the goal of the Volunteer Services Board, to provide things that the state doesn’t pay for…so that they can have a better quality of life than just an institution where they are housed.”

This article originally appeared on SCNow.com and was written by Melissa Rollins.