If you don't know what to get the person who has everything, head to the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center and check out its selection of one-of-a-kind decorations up for silent auction as part of the seventh annual Mayors' Festival of Wreaths and Trees.

Bids will be accepted through 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, for the 14 donated wreaths and trees from a dozen Orangeburg County municipalities. The wreaths and trees have been decorated by florists, civic-minded individuals, garden clubs and town employees.

"They really are wonderful," said Beth Thomas, executive director of the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center. "Everyone went all out this year. ... We have a wonderful variety with something to please everyone, from the elegant to the traditional to the unique to the whimsical. We have a tree for every room and a wreath for every door.

"The Mayors' Festival is a wonderful promotion of each town and the individuals who live in that community. This event also presents an opportunity for you to buy a very special gift for someone while supporting the programs at the Fine Arts Center."

Thomas said the money raised through the sale of the wreaths and trees goes to classes for children and adults, summer programs, performances and artist exhibits at the center.

Funds from the arts center also make their way out into the community through sub grants, which are awarded quarterly to groups or individuals for artistic endeavors. Thomas said while the center does receive assistance from the South Carolina Arts Commission, "We have to match the grants, and that money has to come from the arts center."

"It's a very generous event," she said of the wreath and tree donations. "A lot of people giving time, talent, and goods and services."

Thomas said while many are decorated with the colors associated with the Christmas season, "We have a couple of wreaths that aren't the traditional red and green. They are festive colors. Some of them would be appealing to children, or the child in the adult ... one is a nautical scene, which would be wonderful for someone who lives at the beach or loves the ocean.

"We have red and green, purple and blue, burgundy -- it's as though there's something for everyone. Some are decorated with fruit. We have a couple of them that can be displayed year-round, or you could just change the color of the bow, and it would be for a different season."

Unique this year is the "Hanging Wall Tree," which Thomas said would be perfect for a bare wall, dorm room, or smaller room or home. For the sportsman, there's a golfing wreath.

"We've started putting a minimum bid on them," she said. "When you look at them, you know why. ... They do well. If you compare these wreaths -- you can spend $25 or $35 for an ordinary wreath, and these are far beyond that. They are magnificent. At the same time, people typically get a bargain on the wreaths.

"We always have variety, but this year ... it was as though everyone wanted to do something nice and happy," Thomas said. "It is the kind of thing, whatever your taste, whatever your mood, whatever your home, you will find something. And if you don't find it for yourself, you will find one for someone as a gift.

"You will find something you like. They're just all worth having."

The participating towns and their wreaths and trees are:

Bowman, Mayor Zelda Pelzer -- "Holiday Memories Tree" with red and gold bows, red and gold balls, and gold pine cones; decorated by Shanteka Glover

Assistant Town Clerk Shanteka Glover said this is the second year she has had the opportunity to decorate a tree for the town of Bowman. While the color scheme is the same as last year's, she said there are differences between the two entries.

Last year, "the ornaments were different -- it was more red than gold. It was in an urn last year. This year, I kept a smaller version of a Christmas tree and added a skirting, and an equal amount of red and gold."

Also new to this year's tree are acorns, coordinating bows and chandelier ornaments.

"When you think of the holidays, you think of the colors and the warm feelings around the holiday season," Glover said. "The tree's done in red and gold with different sorts of ornaments on the tree using those colors, bows on the tree in those colors and a bigger bow on top matching the little bows. The red bows represent the love duringthe holidays."

She said her inspiration came from thinking about the love and time shared with family and friends during the season.

"For some reason, that just popped up," Glover said. "You just want to feel that type of love, holiday memories you can always look back on."

Branchville, Mayor Tim Cooner -- "Toy Train Wreath" with train cars, red poinsettias and red and gold bows and ornaments; decorated by Tom Jennings

Tom Jennings, chairman of the Raylrode Daze Festivul in Branchville, said his wreath was inspired by the town's railroad heritage.

"One side of it is like a child's train -- it has an engine, a coal tender and a box car, and it's on a little track. ... On the other side are the Christmas greens with ornaments," he said.

This is the first year Jennings has created an entry for the town, but he said he enjoyed the experience.

"It was a little bit of a challenge to figure out how to get the train and the track on there, but it was easily attached with floral wire," he said.

Jennings' favorite part of his creation?

"I think I like the train the best," he said. "That's the reason our town is here, because of the railroad. ... This is the town's 150th anniversary, and I thought that was important, to incorporate that on the wreath, our railroad heritage."

Cope, Mayor Janet Joye -- "Santa Express Wreath" with train cars, train tracks, and red and gold accents; decorated by Joye and members of town council

Like Branchville, the town of Cope can claim a strong railroad heritage. In fact, Mayor Janet Joye said it remains a focal point for the town.

"The town of Cope was built around the railroad," she said. "Martin Cope deeded land to the railroad so they could run the rails through that land, and then the town sprung up around that railroad, and they named the town after Cope."

In that spirit, the "Santa Express Wreath" was created. Joye calls the creation "cute."

"It was because of the interest of the railroad," she said. "We did this one kind of like a replica of the town. ... Before, we've done wreaths representing the town through the cotton industry. And we've also brought the railroad in prior wreaths."

Above all, however, Joye said the town is thrilled to have a chance to help the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center.

"They do such a good job supporting the arts in the community," she said of the center. "We like to promote the arts as much as we can, with what little contribution we can give. It's a good cause."

Cordova, Mayor James V. Martin -- "Hanging Wall Tree" with M&M characters, including several Elvis M&M characters; decorated by Gladys Arends

Gladys Arends said she's been decorating the town of Cordova's wreath or tree since the event began seven years ago.

This year, "I tried to find something that would be a little different since the arts center was not furnishing a tree or a wreath," she said. "I was flipping through this magazine and saw this tree hanging on a wall, and I thought no one else would have the same thing. It would be something different."

Her ornaments, too, will be unique, as all are M&M characters made famous in the candy's commercials. She said she found them in a Garden Ridge store in North Carolina while on a trip with her daughter.

"The little Elvis ones on there tear me up," she said. "We've got a little cook on there ... and all the ones that you see on TV in those commercials."

Arends said not only is the tree unique -- it also serves a purpose, particularly for those with limited space.

"A lot of people live in apartments or mobile homes and don't have the space for a Christmas tree. Or they have little ones," she said. "This kind of gets it up and out of the way so you can still have a tree for Christmas."

Last year, her theme centered on the fabled "Island of Misfit Toys" from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." She said that was a favorite of hers because "it appealed to the child in me." Arends said her challenge is coming up with something different from year to year.

"I just try to come up with something that will appeal to most anybody," she said.

Elloree, Mayor Van A. Stickles -- "Burgundy and Gold Wreath" with pine cones, berries and red bird in nest; decorated by Evergreen Garden Club

When Jean Fogle and members of the Evergreen Garden Club in Elloree set out to create a wreath for the town, they knew they wanted to make something that would last.

"We wanted something that wouldn't just be for Christmas, but could be used all during the winter season," she said.

Because she likes red birds, particularly cardinals, one made its way onto Elloree's "Burgundy and Gold Wreath."

Fogle said the club has enjoyed creating wreaths and trees over the years for the Mayors' Festival.

"We've been doing it since the arts center started with it," she said. "We've done trees and wreaths. We change up from year to year."

Elloree, Mayor Van A. Stickles -- "Garden Grapevine Wreath" with fresh and dried hydrangea, pine, magnolia, holly and berries; decorated by Elloree Garden Club

When Donna Donnelly of the Elloree Garden Club was assigned the task of creating this year's entry, she turned to inspiration from Santee pharmacist and gardener Dave Shuler, whose work was recently featured in Southern Living magazine.

"For some reason, I wanted to go fresh," she said. "(Shuler) did a program for our club. ... He works with pines, magnolia leaves -- all fresh stuff from his garden that he makes into wreaths and centerpieces for his home. It just looks so nice when you put stuff from your garden on the door instead of the artificial stuff."

So Donnelly ventured into her own garden and took advantage of the holly, pine, magnolia, red lace-capped hydrangeas and ligustrum she had growing in her yard, fixing them onto a handmade wisteria vine wreath.

"It was all stuff I had clipped out of a Southern garden," she said. "There was nothing fake or artificial.

"Anybody can go out in their yard and make a beautiful centerpiece or wreath just from their garden. There's always something, throughout the whole year, you can make a centerpiece or wreath out of. I've never had a problem."

On the plus side, too, Donnelly said there is no need to take measures to keep the wreath elements alive -- "All that stuff dries so beautifully. It still has a nice look to it."

Eutawville, Mayor Robert E. Collins -- "Red and White Nautical Wreath" with Merry Christmas life preservers, and red balls and bows; decorated by Lillian Hutto of Holly Hill Florist and Gift Shop

Lillian Hutto has been working as a florist in Holly Hill for 11 years. This is her second year making a wreath for the town of Eutawville.

While she chose to focus on fish and pine with her wreath last year, this year's theme was simply nautical.

"Eutawville is on the lake, and I didn't want to do fish again," she said. "I just thought that would be something different than what I did last year ... just trying to advertise that they are on the water."

Next year, if she's chosen to create the Eutawville wreath, Hutto said her work will incorporate fish and Native Americans.

"With the lake being so low last summer, I found 18 pieces of Indian pottery," she said. "It makes you really think about the Indian history in this area."

Holly Hill, Mayor James S. Jeffers -- "Bounty of Fruit Wreath" with assorted fruit, iridescent leaves and red plaid bow; decorated by Lillian Hutto of Holly Hill Florist and Gift Shop

With the Holly Hill wreath, Hutto said she was just trying to make it festive.

"I've done holly for Holly Hill every year, but this year, I just tried to do something different," she said. "I just love flowers. I love making people happy."

Her favorite was the holly tree she created several years ago.

"It was all holly and red birds," she said. "When you glanced at all the trees, mine stood out.

"I just try to make the two towns proud. It makes me feel good they call me."

Holly Hill, Mayor James S. Jeffers -- "Fragrance of Nature Wreath" with herbs, shiny red fruit and berries, and pheasant feathers with green bow; decorated by Ruth's House

This was Ruth P. Summerson's first year decorating a wreath for the Mayors' Festival. The owner of Ruth's House in Holly Hill said her inspiration was the outdoors.

"It's nothing really Christmassy -- I had year-round in mind," she said. "It has an outdoor kind of feel about it."

Summerson incorporated lacquered red apples, moss and feathers onto a grapevine wreath, adding, "I thought someone who really appreciates flowers would love that wreath."

She envisions her wreath gracing the walls of a kitchen or dining area, not just at Christmas but throughout the year.

Livingston, Mayor Bobby Gordon -- "Festive Colors Wreath" with green, purple and gold ribbons and ornaments; decorated by Amy Addison

Amy Addison, who has been decorating wreaths and trees for the town of Livingston since it started participating in the Mayors' Festival, said she tries to do something different each year.

"I checked the floral listing to see what the colors were for this year, and they said purple, so I did purple and green -- really festive Mardi Gras colors," she said. "I just try to be different -- sometimes, you get tired of seeing all the traditional reds. So I tried to come up with something different."

Addison, who has done floral work for about 15 years, said she really doesn't have a favorite from her years of preparing Livingston's entries.

"But I'd much rather do the wreaths than the trees," she added.

Neeses, Mayor Joseph Corbett -- "Topiary Tree" in gold urn with toy snowmen, nutcrackers and drums, with red bow on top; decorated by Sonja Gleaton

Children are the honorees of this year's Neeses wreath, created by Town Clerk Sonja Gleaton.

"We just love children so much here in Neeses," she said. "We've done a tree before in honor of the mayor. I just did one in honor of our children this year so that if the children saw it, it would make them happy."

Gleaton used nutcrackers, snowmen and colored balls to decorate the small, pre-lit topiary tree.

"It was a small tree, so I couldn't put a lot on it," she said, adding that it's the perfect size to set on a table.

While she has decorated both wreaths and trees for the festival, Gleaton said, "I'm kind of partial to the tabletop trees."

She said it is a privilege to be able to help the arts center each year through the Mayors' Festival of Wreaths and Trees.

"They do summer programs for the children, and they have done some programs for the Silver Springs 4-H Club" locally, Gleaton said. "I know that they put their money back into these programs. ... The children really do benefit from the money that is raised through the trees and wreaths.

"My heart's desire is for everybody, for every single town, to participate. To me, it's part of the holiday tradition. Our council always looks forward to receiving the letter. They enjoy participating, and it really doesn't cost that much. The main thing is your time, putting your time into it, but it's so rewarding. You have a sense of pride that you were part of such a wonderful fund-raiser."

North, Mayor Earl Jeffcoat -- "Wreath of Many Colors" with gold bow and purple, blue and gold ornaments; decorated by Touch of Class Florist

Katie Redmond, owner of Touch of Class Florist, said her shop's "Wreath of Many Colors" for the town of North includes many colors not normally associated with Christmas, including light blue, pink and lime green, mixed with the more traditional red.

"They're popular colors for the year," she said. "A lot of the different shaped bulbs are on the wreath. We just wanted it to be colorful."

Redmond, whose shop has participated in the annual event for several years, said she enjoys the process it takes to create an arrangement.

"We just try to do something different every year, something that you don't see, something everyone else doesn't have," she said.

Orangeburg, Mayor Paul A. Miller -- "City of Roses Wreath" with red roses, green berries, ivy leaves and red and gold bow; decorated by Dogwood Garden Club

Last year, the women in Orangeburg's Dogwood Garden Club proclaimed "Our Mayor is a Gem." This year, their source of inspiration is the beautiful Edisto Memorial Gardens.

"Since Orangeburg is so famous for its roses, we thought that would be a good theme this year," said member Jamie Katzenberg. "Last year, we did a tree, and people just threw in their old costume jewelry. The year before that, we did something like a country Christmas with calico and yarn. I think I like the wreath we did this year the best."

Dogwood Garden Club President Donna Medders said they've done trees in the past, but this year, they wanted to tackle a wreath.

"It's an evergreen wreath, and there's the roses and there's ivy and little green berries," she said. "We're happy to do this as Mayor Miller's contribution to the Fine Arts Center and the county."

Santee, Mayor Silas Seabrooks -- "Let's Go Golfing Wreath" with practice golf balls and tees and Christmas bow; Caroline Turnblad

Caroline Turnblad, coordinator of tourism and special events for Santee, took her cue from the town's golf courses to create this year's Mayors' Festival wreath.

"I went with the golf theme because Santee is the 'Oasis of Recreation,'" she said. "We have many golf courses. That's one of the big things that we promote."

Turnblad said she had a lot of fun coming up with her wreath -- on a budget, she added, taking into consideration the harsh economic times everyone is facing these days.

"I love Christmastime, and I love decorating, so I just thought it was neat to decorate something that's for Christmas and promoting the town of Santee," she said. "I was trying to make the dollar stretch as much as possible and still make it look good. The way the economy is, I think you want ... to find a way to still participate and not hurt our budget. ... It's nice to still be able to help out organizations, to be able to give back during this tight time."

The Mayors' Festival of Wreaths and Trees will be on display at the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center through Thursday, Dec. 4.

T&D Features Editor Wendy Jeffcoat Crider can be reached by e-mail at wjeffcoat@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5546. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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