Creative trees are winners at Depot Museum

This year's Christmas at the Shafter Depot Museum's tree competition theme was the Recipes of Christmas. We asked that each entry share their special Christmas recipes or the spirit of the season that embodies the "recipe" in their mind for that perfect Christmas. While all the trees were wonderfully done, our visitors ultimately decided on the winners through votes for their favorites!

The 1st Place tree was called "Our Recipe is Joy," decorated by the Shafter Community Bible Study. The idea behind it was the joy of setting up a Christmas tree inspiring hope, joy and peace in the true meaning of Christmas, Jesus' birth. This stunning entry was covered in personal ornaments brought in by many Community Bible Study members intermixed with green, red and gold balls, red and white ribbons and large red poinsettias. The top of the tree was crowned with a glittering gold star, and the base of the tree housed an elegant nativity bookended by two crystal clear large Angels.

In 2nd Place was a creative tree entitled "Recycle & Re-use" by American Refuse. The ornaments sparkly and playful encouraged a second look to realize that most of them were made from recycled materials. For example, there were toilet paper and paper towel tubes cut and glued into star flowers, bottle cap Christmas trees and snowmen, Keurig silver bells, paintbrush Santas, pistachio shells painted and glued together into red poinsettias, wine cork snowflakes and clothes pin reindeers. Other ornaments on the tree were personalized ornaments of American Refuse trucks. The tree itself was saved from going into the trash and broken pieces fixed before it was put on display. Topping the tree was a wine cork star and brightly wrapped gifts surrounded the base with a wine cork Santa hat.

The colorful and bright 3rd Place entry "Shafter's Christmas Recipes" was done by the City of Shafter. This delightful display was filled with pictures and ornaments painted to look like Christmas goodies often served in many Shafter homes during the Christmas season. Some of the delicious treats represented were Mexican sweet breads called Conchas, pies, sugar and gingerbread cookies, hot chocolate, champurrado, and tamales. The tamales were represented by cornhusks tied up with ribbon hanging on the tree. Hugging the tree was a multicolor pastel garland matching the pastel shiny colorful balls off setting the mouthwatering inspirations. A wire star with a bright red bow topped the tree while gifts and a sign claiming "Joy to the World" finished off the base of the display.

One more tree really caught our attention and was awarded a special Curator's Choice Award! The Shafter Youth Center's tree depicted a "Kid's View of Christmas Looks Like." The kids from the Center each brought in a recipe card with a special family recipe listed on it. The cards were backed by colorful construction paper that matched a string garland of printed pictures of kitchen items, used in cooking and baking, brightly colored by the kids. Gold bows and cookie style ornaments of gingerbread men, stars and Christmas trees filled the tree. On top was a paper printed chef's hat. The white paper base and a couple gifts underneath were covered with more colorful kitchen item pictures. We loved the effort expended by the kids and all of the care put into their family recipes and could not let that effort go unmentioned!

Thank you to everyone who participated in decorating a tree and all who came in to vote, celebrate the season, or just enjoy our local history. We can't wait to see you again this next Christmas season! Or come in and see us any time during the year as the Depot is open every Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.