- December 1, 2020
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Louise Musselwhite and Kathie Liviccori set up the gift shop for the gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Lee Tisdale, publicity chair for The Casements Guild, shows off holiday decorations for the upstairs dining room. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
This year's theme for the gala is "Christmas on the Halifax." Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Docents Joyce Vernon, Lee Tisdale and Joyce Kresge. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The 15-foot tree in the atrium is decked out in nautical decorations. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Christine Davenport shows off some of the handmade crafts that will be available for sale at the gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Dedee Blanchard and Ursula Suddard work on decorations in the first floor of The Casements. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Susan Hansen decorates a garland inside The Casements. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Nautical decorations adorn The Casements for this year's gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
David Benson sets up a Christmas village in the second floor of The Casements. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
City Leisure Services employee Fiona Crouch sets up the lights on The Casements' gate. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
John Fowler, Izis Cordon and Jose Bilbao assemble the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Gardens. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Bob Shearer, Jerry Zavota and Jim Taber help assemble the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Gardens. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Bob Shearer, Jerry Zavota and Jim Taber help assemble the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Gardens. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Meet the crew behind the Rockefeller Gardens Christmas tree: Eddie Campana, Jerry Zavota, Bob Shearer and Jim Taber. On the tree are Izis Cordon, Jose Bilbao and John Fowler. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
It's almost the most wonderful time of the year — and The Casements Guild has been making sure John D. Rockeller's winter home is ready for its biggest annual event.
The Casements Guild's 44th-annual Christmas Gala, themed "Christmas on the Halifax," will be held on Friday, Dec. 2, through Sunday, Dec. 4. On Friday, locals and visitors will be able to witness the tree lighting at Rockefeller Gardens, special appearances by Santa and the Snow Queen, as well as enjoy holiday music, train rides, face painting and peruse through handmade crafts and goods. Festivities will continue through the weekend.
"We like to incorporate the community as much as possible into the ideas and themes, and that kind of stuff," said Lee Tisdale, publicity chair for The Casements Guild. "This is our gift to the community."
The gala, which pays tribute to the Christmas parties Rockefeller used to hold in his lifetime, was the Guild's annual fundraiser, but it has been a free event in recent years. On Tuesday, Nov. 29, Guild members, called docents, and Ormond Beach city staff members were hard at work in getting the house ready for the gala.
Nautical decorations such as lighthouses, sailboats and fish ornaments are present throughout the house and 15-foot tree in the atrium. The second floor pays tribute to Florida's wetlands. The exterior and interior decorations will be on display through the month of December.
New to the gala this year is the inclusion of art and photographs by local artists in a room on the second floor. The gourmet shop will also be in the downstairs dining room this year, to give people more room to sit down and eat.
Tisdale worked on decorating a captain's dining table in the small upstairs dining room. It usually takes her about four days to finish decorating it for the gala, but this year, the room was almost done by the second day of preparations.
"Because of great, great help I had," Tisdale said.
