Avenue of Christmas Trees

Imagine 50 or so Christmas Trees all decorated and sparkly – that’s what the Avenue of Trees was all about in our home town.  After a break for a couple of years, local businessman Harvey Bowler had teamed up with the Salvation Army to bring the event back for the community to enjoy.  Local  businesses, organisations, clubs and schools were invited to decorate a (supplied) tree.  Entry was an item or two for the Salvation Army Food Bank to assist families in need.

Just a few of the trees on display

We walked up and down the hall, checking out the trees.  Each tree was accompanied by a sign stating which organisation had done the decorating.  There were trees from all sorts of local businesses, such as this one by a local plumbing store, and hung with tiny baths, basins, and no doubt a toilet or two as well.  Who would have thought that plumbing could be Christmassy?

There were not one but two trees from the School of Ballet, and lovely young ladies dressed up in their ballet costumes were pirouetting around the hall.  Trees decorated by local kindergartens, schools, Jenny’s Quilting Club, and the local Embroiders Guild, even one from our Vet, hung with rubber gloves, little medicine bottles, pill containers, and  dotted with cotton wool balls.

From our Vet practice

We both liked the Anzac themed tree, decorated by the Levin Home for War Veterans.

Anzac Tree

There was even “Build a Tree”, with visitors invited to hang a decoration or two from a supply in a basket.  It was felt that some families would not have a tree at home, and this would give children a chance to help trim a tree, maybe for the first time.

Staff member from Harvey Bowler Ltd with Trim a Tree

We stopped at the Memorial Tree on the way out, wrote names on tags and hung them on the tree.  One for Robin’s Mum, and one for our next door neighbour who recently passed away.  Such a nice touch, we felt.  And we were kindly given a couple of packets of wild flower seeds, which will be planted in a pot sometime soon.

Adding names to the Memorial Tree

The trees were all so nice to see, and it was great that this event was sponsored this year, bringing joy, happiness and Christmas cheer to the local community.