I was very involved in readying our village for Santa. After hours and hours and hours of work, the hard stuff is done. We had many meetings leading up to the big week. Three of us decided we wanted Christmas to be MORE this year. Different, unique. We want people to drive to our town to see Christmas. Normally, there is a very expensive, short parade and Santa is in a tent for one evening. We knew this had to change. First we found a new home for Santa. I wanted him to be in his house more than one night. We surrounded his house with trees. We purchased 15 live trees, put them around Santa's house, they are tied to fence posts. I worked very hard getting people to adopt the trees for $45.00. I am proud to say, all but one tree was adopted. Coco's adopted a tree and decorated in blue and brown to match the shop. Every day at 4:30, all the tree lights come on. It really is beautiful.
Our town had a unique building that is not being used. Filled with junk. We spent hours emptying it, cleaning it, decorating it, so Santa has a home to be proud of. This is right across the street from my shop. I feel proud every time I look at it. This project is something I am so proud to be a part of. I wish I could add a picture of Santa's house here. Unfortunately, I cannot add pictures on my blog right now. I can either spend forever figuring out why, or finish this post. I am going with finish this post. The Santa house is adorable.
The budget for our town parade was ridiculous. Seriously, ridiculous!! The main reason was the committee rented the lighted, moving floats. They are very expensive. We made the decision to have less lighted floats and more local floats. My group of three made the decision we would make a float. Understand that it is very easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm of No Big Deal, We Can Do This. Three of us, and a poor husband forced to spend hours decorating Santa's House did most of the physical labor. Our vision was a float for Frozen. We have Ana and Elsa costumes. The plan was simple, find two high school girls who want to freeze while being Frozen characters, have a beautiful backdrop painted for the float. Get a hay rack, put lights on it. Beautiful float done. The week before the parade we had to: clean Santa's house, decorate Santa's house inside and outside, get tree adoption completed, signs made for the trees, I had to make 18 center pieces for the Breakfast With Santa, organize final details for all events including the parade, and we designated one evening for making a float. Luckily, we had an energizer bunny as part of our group. I called her Sarge. She did not miss a detail. Every single thing had to be just so. She worked so hard, along side her husband. They are something!!! The Friday after Thanksgiving it all started. That was our clean out the little building day. While I cleaned inside Sarge was outside putting lights on the bushes. We spent a few hours on the cleaning. Sunday afternoon we met again. This time there were four of us. Hauling junk from the building, putting up a tree, cleaning, hanging lights inside and outside. We worked hours. Monday night the husband spent figuring out how to put everything on timers and make sure the 15 trees outside were plugged in correctly. Tuesday the inside tree was decorated. Wednesday was float night. Sarge said we could do this in 45 minutes. I was able to find a hay rack and a kind farmer who would let us use his shed. Warhol painted a beautiful background for the float and delivered it to the farmer. When we arrived at his shed, the kind farmer had already secured the background to the float. That was huge in our timing. Next came lights, tinsel, and more lights. I realized we needed more wow factor. I said I would make blocks of ice. We were able to finish everything we could in 45 minutes. We would meet in town before the parade to add more lighting and the ice blocks. I got home and put Hubby to work. He cleaned out the freezer while I got started on the ice. Thank you Pinterest! I took balloons, put a little sand in (to freeze more quickly), added blue food color to the water, so easy. Hubby carried all balloons to the basement freezer. I asked if the balloons would be lighter frozen. He did not know. They were. Parade day Hubby put all the balloons in coolers and met me to place them on the float. They turned out awesome. I will be doing something decorative with the colored ice this winter. The kids loved the Frozen float.
The new Santa House was a huge hit. The parade was a hit. The Breakfast With Santa went smoothly. My shop was super busy the night of the parade. I had the junior high choir sing outside of my shop. The Santa House across the street. Perfect storm for the sweet shop.
It was a very hectic week! Add in three basketball games, bible study, working at the shop, volunteering at the school, that equals I was one exhausted lady. A good exhausted. I am blessed to live in this community. In a small town one person can make a difference. Four people can rock Christmas at an extreme level. We would love more people to help. Fingers crossed we get that help next year. Note when I talk about the time we put into this project, I am not complaining. I had a wonderful time!!! It helped my shop. It makes children happy. I am proud I could help. Now to bring some of that spirit to my home!!!
