By Carol Britton Meyer

The Hull Lifesaving Museum is celebrating the holiday season with a Winter Wonderland Festival of Trees, featuring 20 beautifully decorated evergreens – twice as many as last year – that will create a magical atmosphere and double the cheer.

Other events include a visit by Flying Santa on December 7; the December 14 annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count; and an opportunity for children to drop off letters to the jolly fellow in a special mailbox.

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

Wonderly Lights, which offers professional holiday and Christmas light installation, reached out to the museum again this year 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.

Museum open for entire week

The second annual Festival of Trees will be open to the public from Saturday, December 14 to Friday, December 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The entrance fee is $20 for families and $10 for individuals. The museum will be open for the entire week for this special event.

Visitors will cast their votes for “Best in Show,” with the winner earning “a year of bragging rights,” Gillis said.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For $100, businesses and individuals can create a “dazzling holiday masterpiece” while spreading joy to local veterans and their families, who will be gifted the trees at the end of the week to brighten their holiday season. The trees will be delivered by resident Craig Wolfe on December 21.

“There’s a limit of 20 trees, and spots fill quickly!” Gillis said.

The museum supplies beautiful trees and sturdy stands; the decorators provide their own unique creative talents, lights, ornaments, and tree skirts.

Showcasing creativity and community spirit

The names of sponsors will be prominently featured on an elegant sign beside their trees. “This is the perfect opportunity [for community members] to showcase their creativity and community spirit,” Gillis said.

Decorating night is planned for Friday, December 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. Participants will enjoy light refreshments and holiday cheer generously provided by Jake’s Seafood Restaurant as each tree is brought to life.

To sign up as a sponsor or for more information, contact maureen@hulllifesavingmuseum.org.

The Festival of Trees is sponsored by Home Depot, Jake’s Seafood, Lowe’s, Craig Wolfe, and Wonderly Lights of the South Shore.

Proceeds from the event will support the museum’s many programs throughout the year.

Santa will arrive by helicopter

According to tradition, Santa will pay a visit to the museum at 1117 Nantasket Ave. on Saturday, December 7, arriving by helicopter, which lands nearby, for photos with children and families. The museum is proud to have been a “Candy Cane Stop” on Flying Santa’s voyage for many years, and again this year. The expected arrival time is about 12.30 p.m., subject to weather conditions.

“Flying Santa, a New England-wide program, has been celebrating those who guard our shores for years, first by dropping off 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 arrival time is not definite due to weather uncertainty. After stopping at the museum, the helicopter carrying its special passenger will pass over Boston Light as a tribute to that icon and on to another Coast Guard station.

Bird Count for lovers of outdoors and nature

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count on December 14 will be an exciting day for anyone who loves the outdoors and nature. Participants are encouraged to dress warmly and bring a camera and binoculars. There will be a midday break at the museum for coffee, tea, cookies, and restrooms. To learn more about this event and other holiday activities at the museum, email Maureen@hulllifesavingmuseum.org or call 781-925-5433.

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