City Hall was the site for some of the first signs of Christmas spirit in Sweet Home on Saturday, Nov. 30.
The evening started with the sixth annual Gingerbread Competition. This year there were five entries; one in the child category, one in the teen category, and three in the group category.
Taking first place in the group category as well as People’s Choice was a snow-covered, two-house scene complete with a marshmallow family, A-frame home made from pretzel sticks, and clear blue lake built by the Alexander family. Candy and Boston Beans added color and texture to the other family home, and a wood pile made of pretzels lay stacked up near the A-frame. Mom and dad marshmallow stood outside like smiling snowmen as they watched one child on a sled and another making a snow angel.
Other entries used pre-made kits or made-from-scratch building blocks. Plenty of icing, candy, fruit and other creative finds from the pantry were utilized to dream up these gingerbread dioramas.
Lagea Mull, executive director of the Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce, said in the past there have been some spectacular entries, including a hobbit home, working merry-go-round, two-story house with a Christmas tree and cake inside, and the Weddle bridge.
Sponsored by Julegård: The Christmas Farm, owners Tony and Shelly Larson donated mugs for visitors, which conveniently could be used for hot chocolate and hot apple cider being offered at City Hall that night.
A good handful of families visited City Hall, using the time to snack on shortbread cookies, take a photo with the gingerbread man (Madi Coleman), vote for their favorite gingerbread house, and stay warm until the lighting of the Christmas tree was to begin.
At the proper time, people gathered in the parking lot to watch the lighting of the tree. Members of The Singing Christmas Tree sang favorite Christmas carols and Mayor Susan Coleman led the countdown of the tree lighting, which she said is a symbol of light in the world.
When the tree lit up with dots of different colors and one large star at the top, the crowd cheered.
“It’s a time we celebrate the true light of the world,” Coleman said. “As we share our light with other people and be nice to them, this is a great time to do that.”
