Christmas Social at P.C. Museum kicks off holiday season

Of the 200 or so people in attendance at last Thursday night's Phillips County Historical Society and Museum's annual Christmas Social, Malta Middle School's Kennedy Koss must have been on the tippy top of Santa's 'nice list' as she won two bucket raffle items on back-to-back drawings.

"I won the stocking and the Merry Christmas sign," the 13-year-old said. "I was surprised because I didn't think I was going to win anything."

The strategy Koss employed to win the items - a handmade Christmas stocking donated by Hands All Around Quilt Club and wooden sign adorned with green and brown pinecones fashioned into a Christmas tree with the message of 'Merry Christmas' donated by Nellie Ereaux - was fairly simple: equal distribution.

"I put the same amount of tickets in all the buckets," Koss said of her scheme ...one that worked for her a few years ago at the gathering when she won a snowman at the Christmas Social.

"I will probably put these up in my house somewhere."

Following Christmas Carols by Eva Yeadon, Tova Anderson and Warren Taylor and tables full of refreshments, the highlight of the night -with the theme of "Christmas A' Glow" this winter­ was the Christmas Tree Auction emceed by KMMR 's Greg Kielb and Hi-Line Auction's Cliff Rustad with the duo auctioning off 10 trees and several other Christmas items (listed below) to raise a total of $2,730.

The tree garnering the most bids and thus the most money on the evening was entitled Frozen and was created by the crew over at Family Matters.

"Sparkling snow-like worlds, little turquoise balls, and crystal garland will dazzle the inside of your home," Kielb announced.

"It's only money folks," Rustad chimed-in when the bid hit $300.

The tree was purchased by the GN Motel and then donated to the Hi-Line Retirement Center.

Prior to the auction and during the caroling and refreshments, attendees were tasked with dropping gold tokens in buckets sitting in front of the miniature Christmas trees decorated and donated for the night by area businesses and groups. At the end of the night, after all the tokens were tallied, the People's Choice honors for Favorite Tree went to a handsome little number entitled "Hooked on Christmas" which was donated by the Malta Chapter Walleyes Unlimited and decorated by Tom Golik.

Christmas Tree Auction Results

(Item Name, Type of Item, Donated By, Purchase Price, Purchased By.)

Elfin' Around, Tree, Great Northern Hotel, $ 200, First Security Bank, Donated to Hi-Line Retirement Center. Baubles & Bangles 'A' Glow, Tree, Malta Senior Citizens, $120, First State Bank. Hooked on Christmas, Tree, Malta Chapter Walleyes Unlimited, $200, Darlene Perry. Good Night Montana, Tree, P.C. Museum/Historical Society, $125, Anne Boothe - Triangle Communications. Frosted, Tree, Tulips & Treasurers, $310, Westside and Kid Curry. Let It Snow, Tree, First State Bank, $120, Phillips County Insurance. Put the Glow in Santa's Cheek, Tree, Hi-Line H'Attitudes, $ 320, Tin Cup. Frozen, Tree, Family Matters, $340, G N Hotel, Donated to Hi-Line Retirement Center. Bows 'A' Glow, Tree, Margaret Leader/Clarice Lundman, $190, Olsen Grain and Livestock. Balling It, Tree, Avante, $200, David Boothe, Donated to MOI. Scandinavian Stars, Wreath, Quilting by the Border/WW Lutheran, $285, Phillips County Insurance

Poinsettia Table Topper/Skirt, Table Topper, Hands All Around Quilt Club, $120, Mule Tracks Cattle Co. Poinsettia Wreath, Wreath, Gary Knudsen Appraisal, $125, Independence Bank. Holiday Memories, Wall Hanging, Barbara Schlocker, $75, Lu Besel.

Bucket Raffle Results

(Item Name, Type of Item, Donated By, Won By.)

Happy Holidays, Centerpiece, Nellie Ereaux, Norma Kelly. Christmas Stocking, Stocking, Hands All Around Quilt Club, Kennedy Koss. The Outside Looking In, Centerpiece, Independence Bank, Nancy Knudsen. Pining For Christmas, Plaque, Nellie Ereaux, Kennedy Koss. Christmas Basket, Basket, Barb Heinlein, Gail Simonson. B J. Daniels Audio Books, Audio Books, Barb Heinlein, Terri Skiff. Table 'A' Glow, Placements, Lu Besel, Janice Reichelt. Snow Happens, Table Runner, Moore's Printing, Erna Schlieve. Lighting Your Way to Christmas, Centerpiece, Ava Ginter, Madelyn Anderson. Candy Fun, Centerpiece, Jacy Stolem, Lori Taylor.