Cheery hellos and good buys at ‘Christmas Tree Lane’

Neither the current pandemic nor damage from prior hurricanes could deter the stalwart Presbyterian Women from hosting their enduringly popular Christmas Tree Lane at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach, the area’s oldest holiday bazaar.

“It’s very festive,” said Joan Irvine, event co-chair with Maggie Fleming. “At this time, when things have been so gloomy over the past few months, I’m finding people to be very, very excited about it.”

A long line of people began gathering at 8 a.m., eagerly awaiting the 9 a.m. opening, and over the ensuing hours a steady stream of shoppers continued to arrive.

Irvine said it wasn’t until September that they were given the green light from their ministers and board, after having presented ideas on how they planned to keep everyone safe.

“Everybody is working so hard; they really take pride in what they’re doing,” said Irvine, adding that even her “cookie people” made matching aprons, augmented with matching masks this year. “People are rising to it. It’s the beginning of the Christmas season, which is a joyous time in the Christian year.”

The 66-year tradition got its start in 1954 as a Kitchen Korner fundraiser, held in what is today the Heritage Center. Once the church building was finalized in 1958, the ladies changed the name to Christmas Tree Lane and, while there have been a number of variations throughout the years, the spirit of the event has endured.

The pandemic presented a unique set of challenges. Once the question of whether it would be feasible to hold the event became a resounding yes, came the safety precautions.

This year, the large McAfee Hall was dedicated to the Unique Boutique, with its wonderful selections of “new and gently used items at bargain prices,” where long tables were set up with greatly spaced-out, one-way aisles. The lobby was dedicated to hand-sewn items, including exquisite quilts.

The ladies took advantage of the outdoor pathways throughout the attractive campus, using them for an Artisan’s Gallery of handcrafted items, and the dozens and dozens of delicious homemade Christmas cookies (prepackaged this year for safety), pies and baked goods.

“The chairman of the Unique Boutique is Susan Groom Horner, and she is a professional in every way,” said Irvine. “She’s got all those wonderful skills and an eye for detail. She’s retired now from a very large interior decorating company in Key West, and the way she sets it up and the way she organizes it, she’s just an amazing person. She has grown that part of it from just a yard sale type thing to this really, very special kind of event, so it’s become very, very popular.”

Proceeds from the event benefit the Presbyterian Women’s mission programs. The board votes each year to determine which entities will receive funding. Last year’s proceeds enabled scholarships and donations to affiliated ministries, assisted several women financially impacted by COVID-19, and provided donations to local agencies including United Against Poverty, Literacy Services of IRC, Treasure Coast Homeless Services (for Naomi House), Gifford Youth Achievement Center and Shining Light Garden.

Photos by: Brenda Ahearn
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