Phillips County Museum Christmas Social draws big crowd, ushers in Holiday Season

The Phillips County Museum and Historical Society hosted their Christmas Social on Thursday night in Malta and over 200 people packed the museum to take part in live auctions, silent auctions, food and drinks and entertainment and holiday merriment.

Hors D’oeuvres galore greeted the museum’s visitors on the night and tables and chairs covered every free inch of the building’s floor.

Those who weren’t eating were either chatting with friends or voting on their favorite mini trees prior to the auction. Though most folks on-hand during the night’s festivities were in attendance as guests, the museum’s staff and the members of the Historical Society (as well as their family members) made sure every guest had enough to eat and drink as the night progressed.

Mike Rappold and Don Hould worked the Tom and Jerry Punch bowl on the night, Rappold working the bowl for the very first time, learning from the ways of the drink from Hould.

“He’s the master,” said Rappold. “I’m just the apprentice.”

Hould worked up the homemade batch of the drink (both adults and child-safe styles) and has been doing so at Phillips County Museum Christmas events for the past 10 years.

“It’s real simple to make,” said Hould. “We have never run out, but we have come real close a few times.”

While Rappold and Hould operated the watering hole, students from Whitewater took the balcony of the museum and showered the crowd with Christmas songs while Mariam Sanguins played piano. (the group also sang Happy Birthday for Lulu Belle Besel on the night.)

After the singing by the Whitewater students, Phillips County Historical Society President Kay Hould took the stage and thanked everyone in attendance for coming to the Christmas Social.

“This is year eleven that we have had a Christmas celebration at the museum,” said Hould. “We hope you enjoy it and continue to enjoy it for years to come.”

The Mini Tree Live Auction began shortly thereafter with Greg Kielb as the Master of Ceremonies and Cliff Rustad as auctioneer.

“Come on folks, it’s only money,” Rustad told the crowd.

A total of 12 trees were auctioned off on the night with the Flights of Christmas – designed and donated by Ava Ginter – drawing the highest selling price at $250, sold to Noel Emond. (See all the tree information at the conclusion of this story.)

The People’s Choice winner among the mini trees was designed and donated by the Rough Riders 4-H Club and purchased by CHMS for $200. The Rough Riders were awarded at $50 gift certificate which the group will use to purchase toys from the Museum’s gift shop and donate to the 4-H Club’s Toys for Tots program.

A total of 10 items were put up for bid during the Christmas Social’s silent auction and both Man Cave Wreath (designed by Bill’s Classic Auto Body and purchased by PCMS) and the Rustic Elegance Wreath, (designed by Karen Ellsworth and purchased by Jeff Hould) garnered $90 price tags.

Once the auctions had ended, the bucket raffle prizes were awarded and the food and drink expired, the P.C. Museum Christmas Social came to a close. By the sounds of the laughter and good spirits from the guests leaving the event, it is safe to say that the night was a major success.