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Angela Molaro at the welcome table handing out gift bags to visitors that include "The Legend of the Candy Cane" and a shell ornament.
Photo by LESLEY DWYERJoyce Welch, Peggy Lammers, Karen Pashkow and Lesley Rife
Photo by LESLEY DWYERKaren Pashkow, Iris White and Lesley Rife
Photo by LESLEY DWYERLights and ornaments decorate the Longboat Island Chapel's garden.
Photo by LESLEY DWYERSusie Hettmansperger by the Lazy Lobster tree.
Photo by LESLEY DWYERThe tree from Realtor JoDene Moneuse with Michael Saunders & Company is aptly decorated with homes and keys.
Photo by LESLEY DWYERThe Chapel has four of their own trees decorated in the garden.
Photo by LESLEY DWYERScott and Tatiana Bridges
Photo by LESLEY DWYERThe local Ukrainian community got together to see their tree.
Photo by LESLEY DWYERDonna Heffner and Greg Fiore
Photo by LESLEY DWYERChristmas in the Garden is a family affair for the Gubernats.
Photo by LESLEY DWYERCarol Pacheco, Deborah O'Connor and Marge Geiger
Photo by LESLEY DWYERThey're not all Christmas trees. This one celebrates Hanukkah.
Photo by LESLEY DWYERStroll through the Longboat Island Chapel's garden from now through New Year's Day to see Christmas in the Garden.
Photo by LESLEY DWYERIraida Witts, Olena Grymiava and Irina LaRose
Photo by LESLEY DWYERRain cut the evening short, but it didn’t dampen the cheer at the Longboat Island Chapel on Sunday night.
The garden was lit up like a Christmas tree, or 24 of them to be exact. Christmas in the Garden is a community undertaking. Local families and businesses decorated trees with their own signature styles.
Ornamental tape measures drape the branches of the Longboat Ace Hardware tree, while the Lazy Lobster’s tree is adorned with anchors and buoys.
The chapel members added lights, wreaths and a Whoville kiddie area to kick the Christmas spirit up a notch. Visitors were greeted with a gift bag of goodies and were treated to hot cocoa, sugar cookies and live entertainment.
“There’s nowhere on the island to see lights, and that’s what it’s all about,” Rev. Brock Patterson said. “We live in condos; we can’t hang our own Christmas lights. But we’ve got the property to do something great.”
The garden is open to the public from 5 to 9 p.m. through New Year’s Day.