A Crystal Christmas: The Casements Guild holds 47th annual Christmas Gala

Holiday revelers turned out in droves to enjoy a night of Christmas spirit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, glimmering lights, sweet treats and merriment.

  • By Michele Meyers
  • | 1:00 p.m. December 10, 2025
  • Ormond Beach Observer
  • Neighbors
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The Casements and Rockefeller Gardens bustled with sounds of the holidays as families and friends gathered for the 47th annual Christmas Gala: “A Crystal Christmas” on Friday, Dec. 5. The Casements Guild has organized and hosted the free community event each year.

Kids ran the grounds with their favorite characters painted on their faces. They decorated wreath cookies and slowed down just long enough to watch Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive by train in front of the historic winter home of John D. Rockefeller.

The Moonlighters band leader, Dr. Joseph Mirante, did the Christmas light countdown, and the house and the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Gardens were illuminated with thousands of glimmering lights.

The Moonlighters played Christmas classics while people grabbed some eats at Reese’s Weenies & More and the Southern State of Mind food trucks.

 Revelers could sip a cup of hot cocoa and ride the train around the gardens. At the Rockefeller Gardens stage, kids lined up to crawl on Santa’s lap and whisper Christmas lists in his ear while parents snapped photos.

... Watching the excitement in people’s eyes when they see the glitter of all the lights and the love, well, I just love it. It’s amazing. - JEAN GREGORY, associate Casements Guild member

Gala Chair Becky Panknin was pleased with the attendance.

“It was amazing,” Panknin said. “Everyone in the community showed up and supported us. Sometimes you could hardly get through the house which was wonderful. The weather cooperated and we really appreciate the support.”

Inside The Casements, the Gift Shoppe was surrounded by handmade crafts and Christmas decorations for purchase. Cookies, cakes and a myriad of other sweet treats covered a table that ran the length of the dining area.

Twenty Christmas trees, decorated by local organizations, graced a section of the lower floor of The Casements, including the “Grounded in Gratitude” tree by Ora Yoga, the “America 250!” tree created by the Captain James Ormond Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and the Ormond Beach Regional Library tree whose staff invited people to contribute by making ornaments out of book pages.

Associate guild member Jean Gregory welcomed gallery perusers in to see the Christmas trees and tell their origin stories.

 Gregory was a guild member when she lived in Ormond Beach before moving back to her home in Tennessee. She returns every year for the Christmas Gala.

“It’s a loving, wonderful group of guild members that make you feel so loved and cared for,” she said. “We have fun together decorating for Christmas and also giving tours year round. We just love it. Watching the excitement in  people’s eyes when they see the glitter of all the lights and the love, well, I just love it. It’s amazing."

 

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