Our Christmas Tree Contest: How Our Group Used Dried Flowers and Local Materials to Win and Inspire Everyone

Since the Ber months have started, I wanted to share our Christmas tree contest from last year. It’s a nice way to bring back the holiday spirit early!

Last Christmas, our chapel organized a fun and meaningful Christmas tree contest. There were 10 groups participated and everyone was so excited to take part. The main rule of the contest was to use indigenous materials. A challenge that really encouraged us to be creative and resourceful.

I belong to Group 1. And after some brainstorming, we decided on a unique idea of a Christmas tree made of dried flowers. One month before the contest, I started collecting dried flowers, grass and even some tree since these materials were quite delicate, I sprayed them with paint to make them look beautiful and last longer. It was such a fun process seeing these ordinary things turn into something colorful and festive.

Meanwhile, the boys in our group worked on creating a sturdy stand for our Christmas tree. Some of my groupmates also gathered Anahaw leaves to add a nice, natural touch. Together, we decide to make our tree look like a Winter Wonderland. To complete the theme, I cut out shapes from Styrofoam to make a snowman and a deer, which we placed front of our Christmas tree.

Putting everything together was a group effort, We all met at the Chapel to set up the Christmas tree, and because everyone helped we finished everything quickly. There was a sense of teamwork as we saw our design come to life.

Of course, we wanted our presentation to stand out, so we added a special twist: A Santa Claus who gave candies to the kids while judges were checking our tree. The children loved it, they were so happy running around with their candies, and it made the whole event feel even more festive.

Many people were amazed by our simple but unique Christmas tree. They were surprised that the grasses, tree seeds, and flowers that are usually ignored could be turned into something so beautiful. Many visitors took photos in front of our Christmas tree, which made us even more proud of our work.

When it was time for the announcement of winners, we were thrilled to be declared the champions! All our hard work, creativity and teamwork paid off.

This experience taught me that you don’t always need expensive materials to create something special. Sometimes, the beauty we are looking for is already around us. In dried flowers, leaves and even the simplest things we usually overlook. It also reminded me how wonderful it feels to work together as a community and create something that brings happiness to others.

Sharing this memory now, as the Christmas season approached, fills me with joy once again. Our Christmas tree contest was not just about winning but about spreading cheer, creativity and love in our small community.

Thank you for reading my story! This is my own picture, edited in Cava and I hope it inspires you to be creative and resourceful this coming holiday season.