Tree Decorating Guidelines

Decorating Day
Thursday, November 17, 8:00 a.m. - 9 p.m.
The Norfolk Yacht and Country Club

Thanks to your generosity, the Festival floor will be full of designer trees, wreaths and gingerbread villages! These spectacular items are the focal point of the Festival and we appreciate your commitment as a decorator.

Trees are provided to each decorator. There are a variety of tree sizes available this year. If you have not already chosen your tree size and theme, please make that decision as soon as possible as the trees are available on a first come first served basis.

Tree Availability:

• The festival provides traditional green trees in 3 foot, 4.5 foot and 7 foot sizes.
• If you would like to decorate a tree of another size or color, you must provide your own.
• To decorate early, you need to pick up your tree at the CHKD Thrift Store at 795 Monticello Ave. and deliver the decorated tree to the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club on November 17.
• Call the CHKD Thrift Store at 622-5437 (622-KIDS) to make arrangements to pick up your tree.
• All large trees should be decorated at the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club, November 17

Themes:

• The theme of this year’s Festival is “Visions of Sugarplums”
• A list of tree theme suggestions is provided
• Creativity is strongly encouraged
• Themes and decorations should be tasteful and appropriate for home or business

Ornaments:

• No fresh fruits, berries or flowers, live animals or unwrapped food items.
• Ornaments must be wired to the tree
• Any ornament with a slip hanger must be glued to secure the cap

Lights and extension cords:

• All lights must be new and UL approved.
• Connect only three strings at a time into one outlet on your power source
• Please bring a surge protector/power strip
• Please bring heavy duty extension cords (no “indoor only” cords)

Number of lights and ornaments per tree:

• Use approximately 100 lights per foot of tree height.
• 3 foot tree: approximately 35-50 ornaments
• 4.5 foot tree: approx. 50-75 ornaments
• 7 foot tree: approx 175-275 ornaments
• This depends of course on the size and scale of the ornaments with the tree

Under the tree:

• As a finishing detail, all trees must be skirted or draped.
• Tree bags will be provided and must be placed under the tree skirt
• Cubes can be provided to elevate the trees
• Please make placards identifying the gifts with the tree
• Please make placards identifying Sponsors of the tree
• Gift certificates and jewelry will be kept separately from the tree and given to the final bidder after the tree is purchased
• All other gifts should be displayed with the tree

Parking and loading:

• Pull up to the front entrance of the Yacht Club while unloading materials.
• Please move your car to a parking space when you have finished unloading

Tree Judging:

• Each Honorary Chair will be given a ribbon to place on the tree of his or her choice before the Gala on Friday November 18.

Opening Bid/Buy It Now:

• The opening bid is determined by the retail value of the tree as indicated on the Designer Description Form.
• The value on the tree is confidential to you and the Festival Committee. It is used only as a guide for determining the opening bid.
• Bidders will have the option to forgo the auction process (on Silent Auction trees only) and choose the “Buy It Now” option to purchase the trees
• Buy It Now prices will be set at a premium

Tree Delivery:

• 7 foot and elaborate 4.5 foot trees will be delivered to the buyers beginning on Sunday, November 20
• All other small trees will be taken home the night of the Gala
• Trees should be able to be lifted by two people of average strength
• Decorations/ornaments need to withstand transportation…wire them to the tree!

It is important to the Festival Committee that you have all the information you need to make this event a memorable occasion. Please feel free to call the NCUKD office at 668-7098 with any questions or concerns you may have or Christina Waters, Tree Designers Chair at 761-6225.