Theodosia’s second annual Christmas tree lighting is Saturday

This year’s Theodosia Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Kick Off event will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at Village Hall. 

Festival organizers Nancy Wilson and Karen Metzger have been working hard on festival plans for the fun and festive event, and it’s shaping up to be even better than the 2023 tree lighting, when the event was held for the first time. The women say the idea came to them after feeling that there was a need for a holiday gathering local to Theodosia. 

“Covid did a job on our area and kind of made us disjointed. We felt like we needed something to draw us back together as a community during the holiday season,” Nancy told the Times. “Before if people wanted to go to a Christmas festival, they had to go to Mountain Home, or Gainesville or somewhere else. We wanted to do something right here in Theodosia that fit the community and allowed us to come together and celebrate.”

The organizers were careful to plan the event so that it didn’t interfere with other Ozark County Christmas events including the Christmas on the Gainesville Square event (to be held the night before, Dec. 6, this year) or the Bakersfield Christmas parade and events (Dec. 14 this year), so that people could attend all the events if they wanted. 

When last year’s event came, the women expected a small crowd, “maybe 20 or 30 people,” Nancy said. But, as the people began pouring into Village Hall, it was evident that there would be many more people than they expected - despite the bitter cold temperatures that day. In all, Nancy said there were more than 150 people who showed up to their new, little festival.

This year, the organizing crew have taken last year’s festival and added a few extra elements, something Nancy says she hopes to continue to do each year. The weather forecast (as of presstime Tuesday) shows the high for the day in the low 50s, which will provide much more comfortable conditions, but Nancy says that organizers have several firepits ready and wood split for the event just in case. 

The day begins at 1 p.m. with free cookies and hot cocoa inside Village Hall, and vendors will be set up in the parking lot offering unique, handmade items that make great Christmas gifts. 

The vendors will be set up from 1 to 5 p.m., and then close in order to participate and watch the tree lighting. At presstime Tuesday, these vendors were signed up to participate: Julie Rothenberg with wood and cloth items, natural soaps made by Evelyn Estes, Candace Butler with gourd art, feathers and ornaments, Glenda Dean with handmade baskets and crocheted hats and the women of the Theodosia Methodist Church with a variety of fall and winter crafts. Organizers say a few more might be added to the list before the event arrives. 

Santa will be available for children to visit and take photos with beginning at 1 p.m., and parents and family members should bring a phone or camera to snap their own photos. Door prizes will be given away every couple hours. The winners of the cookie baking contest (see details page 1) will be announced at the festival, as well. 

The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m., featuring a large cedar tree that has been displayed on the Village Hall lawn. Theodosia resident and Village Council member Jonathan Humbert will serve as the official Christmas tree lighter this year. Guests are invited to bring a special ornament from home to place on the tree in honor of a special loved one if they would like. The tree will stay up throughout the rest of 2024.

Nancy and Karen say they hope the little festival continues to grow each year and be a bright spot for Theodosia. “Our primary goal is to bring us back together as a community. We want to get back to how it was before the pandemic hit. I have learned over the last few years that the people of this area are supportive, and they are here for you if you need them. We just want to embrace that sense of community.’

For more information on the event or how to volunteer to help, contact Village Hall at 417-273-4830.