By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Lifesaving Museum is celebrating the holiday season with a Winter Wonderland featuring a Festival of Trees, an Audubon Christmas Bird Count, a visit by Flying Santa, and an opportunity for children to drop off letters to the jolly fellow in a special mailbox.

**LIGHTING UP THE NIGHT.** The Hull Lifesaving Museum is a beacon in the night this holiday season, thanks to a donated exterior lighting display from Wonderly Lights of the South Shore. [Courtesy photo]

To kick off the festivities, Wonderly Lights of the South Shore “very graciously professionally decorated the outside of the museum,” Museum Director of Development Maureen Gillis told The Hull Times.

Wonderly Lights reached out to the museum in support of its “saving lives then, changing lives now” mission and offered to install white lights on the outside of the building to help attract more visitors during the winter months. The official lighting of the exterior display occurred on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

“The whole place is lit up,” Gillis said. “From there, the museum decided to host the Festival of Trees. This is the first time we’ve had such a big holiday event.”

The display, which will include 11 Christmas trees sponsored and decorated by 11 local businesses and individuals, is an opportunity for friends and families to gather to share the joy of the season with the \ community.

On Dec. 8, those sponsoring a tree will gather at the museum, their arms full of holiday lights and decorations, for a fun time decorating the trees.

“These individuals and organizations realize there’s something for everyone at the museum, and that it is an inclusive and accepting place for all,” Gillis said.

The trees were donated by Lowe’s and the tree stands by Home Depot.

**LIGHT WORK**. The crew from Wonderly Lights of the South Shore flipped the switch on the Hull Lifesaving Museum’s holiday season exterior lighting on Nov. 15. Wonderly owner Jodi Elliott and Museum Development Director Maureen Gillis [center] thanked crew members Zach Jones, Jess Whitcomb, Hudson Sestito, and Cristian Amador. [Courtesy photo]

Following the festival, the trees will be donated to Wellspring Multi-Service Center to help spread holiday magic among families who wouldn’t otherwise have Christmas trees “to pay it forward,” according to Gillis. “We are so appreciative of the community’s support for the Winter Wonderland festivities. We’re open year-round, but it’s the slow season, and these events will definitely attract a lot of people.”

The Festival of Trees will be on display from December 10 to 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The suggested donation is $10 per person and $20 per family. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the calendar of events at www.hulllifesavingmuseum.org. Proceeds will support the museum’s many programs throughout the year.

The free Flying Santa event, a tradition in Hull for many years, is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 9 [time to be announced and subject to weather conditions] in a return of what Gillis called “a wonderful New England tradition.”

“Flying Santa, a New England-wide program, has been celebrating those who guard our shores, first by dropping gifts for lightkeepers and now by visiting Coast Guard families with a gift for every Coast Guard child at the Point Allerton station,” Gillis explained. “The Hull Lifesaving Museum is proud to have been a ‘Candy Cane Stop’ on Flying Santa’s voyage for all those years, and again this year.”

Santa arrives by helicopter, which lands nearby, offering candy canes to all the kids. There will also be an opportunity for children to have a quick visit with him and to have their photos taken.

In addition to dropping off letters for Santa at the museum, children can also share their wish lists at the HLM table at the Nov. 25 Hull Holiday Showcase at Nantasket Beach Resort in a special mailbox.

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count, planned for Saturday, Dec. 16, is an all-day “as much or as little as you like” event.

“This will be an exciting day for anyone who loves the outdoors and nature,” Gillis said. “We suggest dressing warmly and bringing a camera and binoculars if possible.”

There will be a midday break at the museum for coffee, tea, cookies, and for participants to use the restrooms. If interested in participating, email info@hulllifesavingmuseum.org or call 781-925-5433 with a rough estimate of the hours you would like to participate. The museum will provide information on where to meet up with the group at different locations throughout the day and send updates along the way.

For those interested in participating, but another South Shore town is more convenient, let HLM know and a staff member will send word to the South Shore Bird Club. While this event is free, donations are encouraged.

Gillis expressed appreciation for the generosity shown by Winter Wonderland sponsors and supporters, who made the event possible, including Home Depot, Lowe’s, Wonderly Lights South Shore, Jake’s Seafood Restaurant, The O’Brien Family, Julie and Robbie Littlefield, Proving Ground Studio, Jason McCann and Chad Wolfe, Pasquale’s Prints, Dennis Zaia and Donald Kimball, The Garden Club, Helen and Richard Gould, Lisa Mahoney, Katie Goble, Kristen Evans, The Crest Road Crew, and Seaside Floral Design.

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