We love a good Christmas story, and the one Shana from San Francisco sent us made our day. So, without further ado, Shana’s tale in her own words:

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. On Christmas Eve I opened the door and welcomed the delivery of my Christmas gift to myself: a pair of red Fiorentini + Baker Emma boots. With a huge smile, I quickly wrapped them and placed them under the tree. This Christmas was bound to be special. It was both the first one my 2-year-old somewhat understood and the first one ever for my 8-month-old. Sure enough, when it was time to open the box, it was my 2-year-old who squealed in delight and exclaimed, “The reindeer left Mama boots like Santa!” Red quickly became her favorite color.

Shana in her F+B Emma boots with her red-loving daughter.

We gradually made our way to celebrate the day with a host of family and friends, where the picture-taking phrase of the day became “don’t forget the boots.” No picture was complete without them.

Beautiful Shana in her beautiful boots with her even more beautiful children!

Heart warm, belly full, eyelids heavy, I reluctantly removed my “Santa” boots, climbed in bed and said “good night” to a beautiful Christmas Day. Thanks, Ped, for making this holiday season even more memorable.

You are welcome, Shana! Everyone at Ped is delighted those F+B boots helped make your holidays happy! Your tale—and pictures!— certainly made us happy! As thanks, a $100 Ped gift certificate is coming your way to get your new year off to a good start!

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing a Ped item, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. Each month we pick the most sole-ful tale to share on the blog. So, let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!

Admittedly, what follows is not exactly a “tale,” but we felt so happy after reading Frances Hersey’s note that she immediately became our October favorite. We really do think of you Ped fans as our friends—people who are unique and interesting—so it makes our day to find out that affection is mutual. Plus, we love the photo Frances sent, which had everyone at Ped Central smiling. (We do love a cute pooch!) So, without further ado, here’s what Frances wrote that made us blush and feel warm all over:

Oh, my gosh!! I am in love with the shoes and boots that you sent to me. I love them so much, and they are both so special and beautiful. I have the Chie Mihara’s on today, and they are just to die for.

This morning as I was getting ready for work I had the Fiorentini + Baker Emma Boot on, and I could live in those boots. They are incredible, and I truly think they are a work or art.  (Thank you also for the kind note that you sent—it made my day.) I really appreciate you remembering that I wanted to try the boots. They are even more incredible in person. I must have looked at them online a thousand times, and now I have them. I am in heaven.

Thank you for wonderful you and for your wonderful online store. Everything you sell is special and beautiful, and I am so appreciative and grateful that I found you. I also love my scarves and wear them almost everyday. Thank you for helping me look stylish and for being so great to work with. I am so thrilled with my new shoes and boots. Thank you, Dayna.

Frances and her sweet dog, Ruth, looking gorgeous in Sophie Digard scarves and Chie Mihara heels.

You are welcome, Frances!!! Doesn’t she look fantastic? She’s radiant! We like to think wearing Ped will do that for a gal. For being such a sweetheart and sending us such a great picture and lovely note, Frances gets $100 in Ped credit!

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing a Ped item, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. Each month we pick the most sole-ful tale to share on the blog. So, let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!

As many Ped fans know, lots of celebrities get their pictures snapped wearing Fiorentini + Baker boots. Sarah Jackson, however, had a different kind of celebrity moment while spicing up Boulder, Colorado’s fashion scene with her strappy Eternity boots. Here’s her tale:

Although I’ve lived in many glamorous places—Barcelona, New York City, San Francisco, Perth (Australia), and the wilds of Montana—I now live in Boulder, Colorado, where fashion doesn’t extend much past yoga pants, fleece jackets, and clogs. I decided when I moved here that I was not going to leave glamour behind. So I was thrilled when I FINALLY got a pair of Fiorentini & Baker Eternity boots, thanks to my dear mother-in-law, who bought them to celebrate my signing a book contract (yippee)!

With some sizing help from Ped, I received a perfect-fitting pair of boots, put them on, and practically refused to take them off. I bought a pair of cute woolen knickers to show them off to full advantage, and I was wearing this knickers + Eternity ensemble one day when I picked up my son from preschool. One of his classmates stopped in her tracks, staring at my boots. Then her mom appeared, equally agog. “I LOVE those boots!” the mom exclaimed. “You look like…” She was racking her brain. “Amelia Earhart!” her daughter shouted. “Yes!” her mom agreed. It turned out they had just been reading a library book about Amelia Earhart. I felt like a celebrity!

Sarah looking glamorous in her Fiorentini + Baker Eternity boots.

Now whenever I wear the Eternity boots, the preschool kids ask me about them: “What kind of boots are those?” “Why do they have so many straps?” And of course, “Who was Amelia Earhart?” Not only do I enjoy the conversations, but the whole experience has also reinforced my belief that true glamour is appreciated, no matter where one lives.

Thank you, Ped, for making my Amelia Earhart moment possible. I’m going to wear these babies ‘til they fall to pieces… or simply, like Amelia, disappear.

Given how durable Fiorentini + Baker’s workmanship is, the disappearing seems more likely than the boots’ falling to pieces! For making us smile the most in August, a Ped gift certificate for $100 is winging its way to Sarah for her wonderful story of adding a little pizzazz to the streets of Boulder.

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing a Ped item, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. Each month we pick the most sole-ful tale to share on the blog. So, let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!

In July, artist Anna Divinsky made our day by recounting how she wore her Trippen Schneckes to the opening of her Pittsburgh art exhibition, “Nests,” which featured work that grew out of her experiences as a Ukrainian immigrant. Here’s her lovely, sole-ful tale:

Last month I wore my brand new Trippen Silver Schneckes to the opening of “Nests,” my art exhibition at the American Jewish Museum, which is part of Pittsburgh’s Jewish Community Center. The show examines the impact of immigration and migration on people’s lives and imagination. Being an immigrant who came to the States 16 years ago with my family from Ukraine, this was a great opportunity to share my experiences with the public and also to learn from their own stories and memories. The exhibit showcases my work and also the work of different age groups, such as local senior citizens, elementary school kids, and college students, each with their own perception of what immigration means to them. Images of nests, birds, eggs, and dollhouses were used as symbols for home, community, and family. This exhibit was intended to bring the Pittsburgh community together, reminding everyone of their own family roots and the nests they have built or will one day re-build with their families.

“Nests," exhibition by Anna Divinsky at the American Jewish Museum, Jewish Community Center, Pittsburgh, 2009. Right: Paintings on silk of nests and nest installation. Left: Installation close-up, Re-Collection 1993-2009, hand painted and heat-set silk.

As a young girl growing up in Ukraine, I had a very modest shoe selection. Wearing the Trippen Silver Schneckes was not only a fashion statement, but also a symbol of what I have accomplished living in the US. They were a huge hit at the opening, and their sculptural swirls were likened to some of the nest images. I could say that I was wearing my own little symbols of home. Thank you, Ped Shoes!

Anna looking lovely in her Trippen Schneckes. Below Right: Close-up of Trippen Schneckes. Bottom Left: Detail of a painting on silk depicting a nest. (See swirls in both?)

Wow, Anna, we are absolutely thrilled to have attended your opening via the Trippen Schneckes! What a wonderful show—congratulations! For making us smile the most in July, a Ped gift certificate for $100 is winging its way to you.

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing a Ped item, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. Each month we pick the most sole-ful tale to share on the blog. So, let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!

As many of you know, in 2006 Ped relocated its headquarters from Seattle, Wa. to sunny Santa Barbara, Ca. We only stayed in SB two years, but while there we met some amazing people with whom we’ll be friends for life. Howard Schiffer and his family are among our favorites! Howard is the founder and president of Vitamin Angels, a nonprofit organization that strives to ensure young children around the world receive proper nutrition in order to grow and thrive.

So, it broke our hearts to learn the Schiffers’ home of 15 years burned to the ground on May 5 in the fires that devastated Santa Barbara.

A fireman surveys what remains of the Schiffers' incinerated house.

What a horrible thing to happen to anyone, but especially to Howard, whose heart is so big and kind! Perhaps Ped could do at least a little something to make the situation better. Here is Howard’s tale:

On Saturday, May 9th, four days after the fire, I was in Macy’s to get a couple of shirts for work. I remember passing the belt display and looking down at my pants. It dawned on me that I had only one belt. I started laughing because I suddenly realized that I had four polo shirts, one handkerchief, two pairs of jeans, four pairs of socks, four pairs of underwear, one pair of sneakers, and one pair of flip flops to my name.

I was just coming to terms with all that we had lost. Even so, the contrast with the refugees I had been with in Kenya only eight days before as part of my work with Vitamin Angels was still daunting. As I explained to the LA Times the day after the fire, there was no comparison between our situations. The refugees had been driven from their homes in January 2008 during tribal conflicts and were still living in 8′ x 12′ tarp-tents in a refugee camp, with little food or security, and foul, overflowing pits as communal bathrooms. They watch as their neighbors and friends succumb to malaria, AIDS and TB every week.

Our family may be homeless, too, but we have an incredible community of friends and family here to support us. It is a great reminder of all we have to be thankful for and gives us a renewed commitment to the important work Vitamin Angels does.

When Ped contacted us with an offer of free shoes, it was a dream come true. Not only would I instantly double the size of my shoe collection (literally) but I would get to wear the coolest shoes in the world as we begin to rebuild our lives. They are so beautiful. I have never had green shoes before. Thank you so much, Ped!

Howard Schiffer looking handsome in his new Cydwoqs! (We love the green, too, Howard!)

Although we couldn’t undo the fire, at least we were able to give our benevolent friend some stylish and reliable shoes to wear as he goes about the world doing good! Walk on, Howard!

To learn more about Vitamin Angels’ important work, visit http://www.vitaminangels.org/.

Update 06/01/10: Here’s a great photo of Howard rocking his Cydwoqs in Hemispheres magazine.