Christmas Social draws 150 to share in Holiday Cheer

The Phillips County Museum and Historical Society hosted their annual Christmas Social on Thursday night in Malta with over 150 people in attendance to take part in auctions, food and Christmas cheer.

Oodles of food covered tables in the museum's back rooms while the main floor of the building was full of people enjoying the holiday atmosphere of the event, catching up with old friends and making new ones. One of the highlights each year at the Christmas Social is the voting that take place on people's favorite Christmas trees and wreaths. This year there were 12 trees total (and one wreath) – all decorated by local businesses, groups and individuals – and small gold coins deposited into cans by party-goers. Frances Slade was in attendance on Thursday night and she said finding a favorite tree to vote on was easier said than done.

"I think they are all beautiful and they always are," Slade said. "It is difficult to decide on which one is my favorite."

Slade was early in her vote casting when she gave this interview but added that so far, Snowflakes and Stars received the majority of her gold coins.

"They are all pretty, but I like that one best," she said.

The overall favorite tree on the night by voters was All Dressed Up for Christmas which was decorated by Moore's Printing and sold to the Tin Cup Bar and Grill for $220 (the $220 was the highest earning tree on the night, narrowly edging out A Starry Night, decorated by First Security Bank, which sold for $210 to the Great Northern.)

Slade said she has been to almost all the Christmas Socials at the museum and said she returns each year to see old friends during the Christmas season.

"It is a big crowd-bringer every year and it brings the best out in people," she said.

Prior to the live auction (which was once again emceed by KMMR's Greg Kielb with Hi-Line Auction's Cliff Rustad lending his voice as auctioneer) the quartet of Bob Johnson, Sue Gordon, Gordon Faaborg and Jay Southwick – Johnson and Southwick on guitar, Faaborg on Fiddle and Gordon providing vocals – and Christmas music was sung from the second floor by members of the Whitewater School Choir featuring Serena Sanguins, Trinity Nolte, Bella Lawless, Kia Wasson and Alex Santillan.

All told, the 14 items sold during auction raised $2230 while the silent auction raised another $343 (see all auction results below.)