Depot holiday trees inspire memories of Christmas past

The magic of Christmas comes alive at the Lenox Depot Welcome Center during the holiday season. There are 25 decorated Christmas trees this year to carry out the theme, “Christmas Storytime,” to inspire memories of Christmas past.
It is not known when the decorated Christmas trees started at the depot. A depot warming party was held during the Christmas Carnival in November of 1990, the same year a new concrete floor was poured in the baggage room. A hospitality center opened in the depot the next year, opening on the night of the park lighting and continuing through Christmas.
The first mention of the trees was in the 2005 Lenox Time Table, almost 20 years after the park lighting and street-lined decorations began. Early organizers were Toni Rechsteiner, Marilyn Brokaw, and Jayne Thompson. Denise Robinson has been in charge of the display the last several years and comes up with the theme each year.
“I’m a color person,” said Denise. “I try to think of a theme so the trees are individual. I like my color. I try to think of something memorable, something that triggers memories. You don’t realize how many hours is involved.”
Some of the themes from Christmas past are “The Season is the Gift”, “A Victorian Holiday”, “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree”, “A Candy Christmas”, “The Polar Express”, “The Grinch”, and Santa’s Reindeer Games”.
Most of the trees have been donated and organizations and businesses volunteer each year to decorate the trees. Those decorating trees this year are Depot Decorating Committee (main tree), Lenox Area Chamber, FFA, AgriVision Equipment, Sue Basler, Lenox Girls Scouts, ISSB, NuCara Pharmacy (kitchen tree), Petersen Tire (15’ tire), The Robinson cousins, Lenox Churches, Hometown Insurance, Lenox Sorority Sisters, Adams Plumbing and Lenox Monument, Lenox School, Fur Baby Boarding, and PCSB.
There are two Rudolph trees, three Golden Books trees, the Christmas Story book complete with the BB gun, and the lamp. And, Christmas isn’t complete without the Charlie Brown Christmas on display on the stage.
Denise Robinson said they held one meeting around November 1 to get organized. Several new volunteers stepped up this year to help with the project. FFA students brought the trees from the storage area to the depot. The trees are put together and fluffed before the decorating begins.
Volunteers helping this year were Debbie Sweeney, Denise Robinson, Susan Ryan, Sandy Sweeney, Sue Basler, Nikita Davison, Nadyne Montiel Gagnier, Kendra Comstock, Rosa Cruz, Jennie Tyler.
“I loved it, I thought it was fun,” said Nikita Davison, “I met some new people.”
Those visiting the depot can vote for their favorite tree by dropping poker chips in a box by the tree.
Tacy Samo and Connie Parrish, on behalf of the Lenox Sorority Sisters, do the Angel Wall of Lenox area people who have passed in the past year and the Angel Tree where people can write on paper angels to hang on the tree to remember their loved ones.
Donations are appreciated to help with ongoing costs. Holiday shirts are sold at Café Signs to help with costs. Chad and Nadyne Gagner created the design for this year’s shirts. Vaunceil Brott took past t-shirts and made two quilts that are now on display in the depot.

The tallest tree at 15 feet was decorated by Petersen Tire. Pay special attention to the paper garland on the tree.

Depot Committee tree in forefront.

The Christmas Story

A sampling of creatively decorated Christmas trees at the Depot Welcome Center. Pictured above, a Charlie Brown Christmas