By Peter Rovick, special to The Swellesley Report
It just didn’t feel right seeing my wife and cousin standing in front of the Christmas goods on display at a local merchant on Halloween, but after Thanksgiving passed we welcomed many signs of the holidays and the upcoming winter. The smell of burning wood from an outdoor fire pit and holiday music roused the holiday spirit in us over the weekend when we took our parents to the Festival of Trees at Elm Bank.
The Massachusetts Horticultural Society is offering its second annual Festival of Trees at Elm Bank. Entering the Hunnewell building, you are welcomed by staff and volunteers as your eyes take in the many festive Christmas trees, gingerbread houses, and various holiday goods for sale (including plants, ornaments, jewelry, and other crafts). All of the wonderfully decorated trees are donated by local businesses, organizations, and families, and each will be raffled off to a lucky winner on Dec. 4 (all proceeds will help to maintain the gardens at Elm Bank). After paying the admission fee, you simply can enjoy the wonderfully decorated trees and other attractions, but you also can purchase a sheet of raffle tickets for only $8 and then use as many tickets as you like to bid on each uniquely-themed tree or gingerbread house.
I have a growing interest in gardening and the outdoors, so I placed a few tickets in the boxes beneath the gardening-themed trees “A Gardener’s Dream” (donated by the Mass Hort Society) and “Decorations From the Garden” (donated by The Mass Master Gardeners Association).
There also is a separate raffle for a tree adorned with gift certificates donated by local merchants – a total value of over $1,000! During your visit, take some time to enjoy a tour of the grounds in the hay ride operated by Peter Pineo of Pine Meadow Farm in Canton.
Whether you want to participate in the raffles or just to enjoy the spectacular decorations and festive atmosphere, I highly recommend a visit to the Festival of Trees. But hurry over to Elm Bank before the festival closes at 7 pm on Saturday Dec. 4.
While you are at it, make a note to come back next year to take in the beautiful gardens offered by Mass Hort right here in Wellesley: see: http://www.masshort.org/MHS-Gardens)
Enjoy and happy holidays to all!
- Hours: Weekends 10 am to 8 pm; Weekdays 3 pm to 8 pm
- The festival will close on December 4 at 7 pm
- Cost: General Admission: $8 for Adults, Children under 12 FREE!
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