The Festival of Trees’ annual Donor Appreciation Party included the announcement of the 2023 Conifer Awards in eleven categories ranging from Most Beautiful to Most Traditional to Best Use of Lighting to Best Children’s Theme and several more. Each category includes a First, Second and Third Place Winner. Each winner receives a hand-blown crystal tree by Simon Pearce.
“Each year we marvel at the creativity and beauty of our trees,” said Festival president Tom Lussier. “To us, they’re all award winners; however, we rely on the judgement of our independent judges to choose the very best in a number of distinct categories,” he added.
According to Lussier, each year the Festival recruits a team of independent judges. The judges are not affiliated with any organization entering a tree in the Festival. Their judging is conducted anonymously and without knowledge of the person, group, or organization presenting the trees. This year, our three judges are from Nick’s Seasonal Décor – a Rowley, MA-based family business. Nick Kreticos founded Nick’s Seasonal Décor in 2016 and soon thereafter turned it into a family business. He inspires and teaches millions of crafters across the globe through his online social media presence.
| CATEGORY | PLACE | WINNER | DONOR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Beautiful | 1 | Christmas Cheer | The Maroun Family of George's Bakery |
| 2 | A Christmas Twist | The Wante Family +2 | |
| 3 | It’s a Celebration! | Sharon Pollard & Tom Lussier | |
| Most Traditional | 1 | Wood Workers Christmas | John Breen Memorial Funeral Home, Inc. |
| 2 | Jingle All the Way | Maureen Pollard & Mary Lou Nash | |
| 3 | A Thankful Christmas | L. Brandish | |
| Most Creative/Unique | 1 | Graniteville | Granite United Church |
| 2 | Christmas in a Tent | Amanda Paton | |
| 3 | Christmas Buzz | The Small Family | |
| Best Tree Done by Children | 1 | If You Take a Mouse to the Movies | Bradford Christian Academy |
| 2 | The Great Outdoors | The Chapel School | |
| 3 | Abominable Tenney Tree | Tenney Grammar PTO | |
| Best Use of Lighting | 1 | Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree | The Rutherford and Dobrosielski Families - In Loving Memory of Susan Buckley |
| 2 | Seeing Isn’t Believing, Believing is Seeing | Nicole Durgin | |
| 3 | My Silver Anniversary Tree | Rick Coco - RE/MAX Partners | |
| Best Children’s Theme | 1 | Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site | Torromeo Industries, Inc. |
| 2 | Colleen’s Christmas Lesson | Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Fund | |
| 3 | Midnight | Ray and Kay DiFiore | |
| Best Use of Theme | 1 | It Takes a Village | Methuen Village Assisted Living |
| 2 | Up | Girl Scout Troop 85210 | |
| 3 | An Ugly Sweater Christmas | The Leary Family | |
| Best Top of the Tree | 1 | “Yer a Wizard Harry” | Jackson and Colton Bates |
| 2 | Be Our Guest This Christmas | Jake, Zachary, and Alana Santos | |
| 3 | Up Up and Away to Santa’s Sleigh | Louann Santos, Vice Chair, Methuen School Committee | |
| Best Under the Tree/Tree Skirt Display | 1 | A Slice of Christmas Magic | Beach Pizza |
| 2 | Thankful and Grateful: A Harvest Celebration | Gregory Blomgren | |
| 3 | Happy Hula Days | Whimsy Wreath Design Co., Inc. | |
| Best Wreath | 1 | Cardinals for Christmas | Susan Ginchereau |
| 2 | Have a Fairy Merry Christmas | Ed and Patty George | |
| 3 | Ring in the Season | Deb Morin | |
| Best Mini Tree | 1 | Snow Globe Tree | The Gregoire Family |
| 2 | It’s All About the Trees | Joseph G. Bella | |
| 3 | Cheers to 30 Years! In Memory of Our Dad Charles Peikert | Sylvia Theberge and Kathy Brasseur | |
| Best of the Festival | Polar Odyssey | John Hancock Lodge |