Top trees honored for Christmas flair
- Rainbow Homemakers Club’s entry used everyday kitchen gadgets for a striking look in red and white. The club won “Most Whimsical” in the 2016 Tree Decorating Contest. RECORD PHOTO/GREGG L. PARKER
MADISON – Following the Madison Christmas Parade, the top choices were announced in the 2016 Tree Decorating Contest, one aspect of “Downtown Madison Christmas Magic.”
Winning for People’s Choice was Main Street Cafe with a whimsical tribute to “The Grinch that Stole Christmas.” Bent doubled-over, the despicable Grinch is stealing gifts from the tree decorated in bright greens and reds. Debbie Hoover was the primary designer.
Rainbow Mountain Homemakers won in the “Most Whimsical” category. From a distance, the tree decorated with red and white ‘ornaments’ looks traditional. However, on closer inspection the club members used kitchen utensils, like measuring cups, spatulas and tableware, as decorations.
In addition, Rainbow Mountain Homemakers added inspirational phrases, like “Mentor” and “Leadership,” for some of the club’s tenets.
Other award winners included Opie Balch Realty and Attorney Matthew Balch for “Most Christmas Spirit”; Rise Real Estate for “Most Sophisticated”; “Studio 106” for “Most Creative” with a hair-styling motif that fit the Christmas mood; and STI Electronics for “Mayor’s Choice.”
Honorable Mentions were presented to the elementary Spanish program in Madison City Schools for a festive tribute to south-of-the border cultures with luminarias and a sombrero and to Madison Chamber of Commerce for a tribute to the “Trains on Main” scavenger hunt.
Several types of groups also participated with attractive Christmas trees:
* Churches — DayStar Church of Madison, First Bible Church of Madison, St. John’s Skinny Black Tie Ball
* Municipal departments – Madison Parks and Recreation, Madison Police Foundation, Madison Public Works, Madison Family of the Year (The Ramsey Family)
* Businesses – CyberProtex LLC, Chaney’s Gold & Silver, Good Samaritan Hospice, J. Henry Plumbing LLC, Madison Hospital, Southern Scape LLC, Torch Technologies, Windscape Apartment Homes
* Organizations – Just Serve.org, Madison Arts Council, Madison Friends of the Library, Madison Youth Football and Cheer (MYFC) Knights, Rotary Club of Madison and RUFF (Ready Yourself for the Future boys’ leadership program).
Gayle Milam, special event coordinator for the City of Madison, said the trees expressed individual creativity, while promoting awareness of businesses, groups and organizations in the community.
