This year’s Dec-A-Tree competition at the Johnson County Museum of History includes 15 submissions by nonprofits and organizations from throughout the county. Visitors to the museum can tour the themed trees and vote for their favorite.
RYAN TRARES | DAILY JOURNAL
The creativity inside the Johnson County Museum of History shines as brightly as the lights adorning the 15 decorated trees.
Strands of yarn meant to look like cooked spaghetti, tiny jars of maple syrup and paper chains cover the tree created by the team at the Historic Artcraft Theatre in an ode to the classic film “Elf.”
Nearby, another tree by UpLift Johnson County touts the different efforts and agencies supported by the community, such as mental health awareness, the United Way of Johnson County and Habitat for Humanity — all part of their “Santa Cause” theme.
A buzz surrounds the work of the Trafalgar Country Gardeners, whose “Bee Merry” creation is decorated with honeycombs, paper hives and gourds painted like bees.
“They do such a great job,” said David Pfeiffer, director of the museum. “People learn about all of these great organizations that they might not have heard of before.”
Local organizations have put their most festive foot forward in the annual Dec-A-Tree competition, a holiday tradition held at the museum every year. Each group put together a stylized tree with themes such as Bridges Alliance of Johnson County’s “Toy Story” tree or the classic “Blue and Gold” of Franklin College.
Visitors to the museum can vote for their favorite, with the winners receiving cash prizes.
At the same time, all of the participants have the opportunity to to shine a spotlight on their services they provide while showing off their holiday spirit, Pfeiffer said.
“It’s a fun way to give back to the community a little bit. It gives these groups recognition for being up there, and our sponsors lets us offer small cash prizes too,” he said.
The museum has been hosting its tree competition since the 1990s as a complement to visits with Santa Claus. The idea was to create a fun holiday competition among area nonprofits, while also providing people with something to look at while waiting in line to see St. Nick, Pfeiffer said.
Participants include a mix of longtime supporters and new organizations, which gives each year a fresh look. Entrants get very elaborate with their creations, looking to popular culture, holiday-themed puns or natural beauty for inspiration.
This year’s crop of trees is no different.
The Nimble Thimble Quilt Club used their fabric artistry to cover their tree with snowmen and other cold-weather icons in their “Winter Wonderland” submission. Playing off their traditional literary themes, the team at the Johnson County Public Library put together a colorful, vibrant selection themed around Willie Wonka.
In making their tree, Johnson County Senior Services opted for a timelessly classic gold color and tribute to Christ’s birth in “Crosses & Crowns.”
“Everyone has so much fun putting together their theme,” Pfeiffer said.
While the trees themselves are cause to stop into the museum, organizers have also planned special events around the display. Matinee Musicale, an area choral group, will perform a concert of holiday classics Dec. 17 on the first floor of the museum. People can enjoy their favorite Christmas songs, enjoy cookies and punch then take their time to admire and vote for their favorite of the Dec-A-Trees.
“It’s technically an open house that day, but we’ll clear out some of the stuff down here and set up chairs to have the concert,” Pfeiffer said.
