Date: Fri 28-Nov-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Burnham-trees-Barlow-Farrow

Full Text:

O Silent Night: A Tree Festival At Burnham Library

(with cuts)

BY SHANNON HICKS

BRIDGEWATER -- For traditionalists who still like to wait until after

Thanksgiving to begin observing "the holiday season," the Burnham Library has

an event planned for this Saturday night that fits right into the schedule.

And for anyone who likes to begin thinking about Christmas before the

Thanksgiving bird has been cleared away from the table, Saturday night is

something to look forward to.

For the second year, the Friends of the Burnham Library will present "O Silent

Night: A Special Holiday Gathering." A fundraiser for Bridgewater's public

library, last year's inaugural event raised $2,500. "O Silent Night" is an

evening filled with entertainment and socializing, with the centerpiece of the

event a silent auction of decorated theme trees.

"It's really a nice night. It's Thanksgiving weekend, and whether people have

relatives visiting and they want to take them out or they want to go out

themselves, it's a really nice way to start the holiday season," says Denise

Pinter, president of the Friends of The Burnham Library.

"We were going to do this every other year," she continued, "but there was

such a demand after last year's large turnout, we decided `Why not?'"

There is a small admission charge ($5 per person), and the funds raised

through the silent auction of nearly 20 theme trees will go back to the

library, which needs to redo its processing center. The library went online

this year, joining Connecticut's automated Bibliomation system, and needs to

do some modernization to catch up with libraries across the state. Until two

years ago, the Burnham Library was still operating with a rotary telephone.

Visitors to "O Silent Night" are also encouraged visit the library, sip some

champagne and enjoy refreshments, and delight in the live music performed by a

chamber trio. During the two-hour event, visitors are also invited to place

bids on the three-foot decorated trees set up throughout the library.

The Friends challenge the decorator of each tree to follow the theme of a book

of their choice; the results are as varied as the selections of a library.

Trees will be coming in for Saturday night's auction based on antique fire

engines, classic "Winnie the Pooh" characters and their stories, historic

homes of Bridgewater, and Dr Seuss's The Grinch Who Stole Christmas , among

others.

While the trees were due to be turned in to the library last Monday, most of

the trees will not be unveiled prior to the November 29 event. A few were

completed early and are hidden away in the library, and just one has been put

on display.

On the library's circulation desk is the tree by event co-chairman Kathy

Barlow. Her gingerbread tree gives a glimpse into what kind of creativity and

imagination visitors to "O Silent Night" can expect to see Saturday evening.

The idea is to let people be surprised with their neighbors' creativity, said

Mrs Barlow. "This is a great way for people to express themselves," she said.

"In deciding who will be decorating the trees, we search for people who are

talented, known artists," Mrs Barlow explained. "We also like to have people

who are known in the community participate in this."

Based on the book Gingerbread For All Seasons , Mrs Barlow's tree is adorned

with "gingerbread" cookies of many shapes and sizes. Some have been made into

ornaments, with ribbons used to hang the "cookies"; others have been glued

right onto branches. The cookies are actually a terra cotta clay, painted

brown and hand decorated by Mrs Barlow. She chose to use the clay so the tree

could be saved and used again in the future.

Another tree coming in this year is being done by the actress Mia Farrow, a

Bridgewater resident. Her tree is based on her recently-released

autobiography, What Falls Away . In her book, says Mrs Barlow, Ms Farrow

describes a tree she remembers decorating with her family as a child. This

passage provided the inspiration for the tree the actress will be dressing for

the library's auction.

Still another tree will be the handiwork of Erik Landegren, the owner of

Bridgewater Chocolate. Mr Landegren also made a tree for the auction last

year, covered with pieces of his Bridgewater company's homemade chocolate,

each individually wrapped in blue or gold wrappers.

"There must have been 5« pounds of chocolate on that tree," Mrs Barlow said

last week. "It was probably the highest priced per-pound chocolate I've ever

seen," she laughed. "But [Bridgewater Chocolate] is the best chocolate I have

ever tasted. It's just delightful."

Trees last year ranged from what Mrs Barlow calls "simple and charming" -- a

lollipop tree -- to an "ingenious" tree, one which was created by Pam Gillette

based on The Legend of Lillinonah . Mrs Gillette's tree had hand-painted

figures, garlands of strung Indian corn seeds, miniature birch bark canoes,

and ornaments made of leather, feathers, seeds and cones. Atop the tree, Mrs

Gillette had fashioned a portrait of Lillinonah, the Indian princess of local

lore, appearing as she did before her legendary leap from a cliff to her

death.

Other donations included one pottery and garden-themed tree adorned with

miniature clay pots by Warren Wolfe; a cooking tree, with wooden spoons and

spices; and a tree with ornaments with needlepoint depictions of different

breeds of dogs.

Along with the silent auction of trees, there will also be a smaller sale of

decorated trees (with set prices), ornaments, and gift baskets. The baskets

are not necessarily Christmas-themed pieces, said Mrs Pinter. "We do want to

acknowledge the people who don't celebrate Christmas, and have them feel

comfortable at this evening." One is a fireside basket, another is a New

Year's Eve basket, and the third is a Taste of Bridgeport basket, with jars

and canned goods by Bridgewater cooks.

Another tree, six feet tall, will be decorated with individual ornaments, each

of which will be available for purchase.

"The wonderful thing about this," Mrs Barlow says, "is it is a big, big plus

for the library. Between the ornaments and the different trees and baskets,

there really is something for everyone.

"Plus, with the trio playing live music and the hors d'oeuvres, it is a lovely

starting point for an evening. A lot of people go out afterwards, when the

excitement from the auction is still very fresh. It's fun to find out what

someone paid for a certain tree, or talk about the last few minutes of the

bidding. It gets very entertaining."

"O Silent Night: A Special Holiday Gathering" will be held at The Burnham

Library, Route 133 in the center of Bridgewater, on Saturday, November 29,

from 5-7 pm. Admission is $5. For details, call the library, 354-6937.