There were no Blockheads Dec. 8 in the seventh annual Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Decorating  Contest in Edgecomb. All 10 participants claimed a prize. Participants included eight Edgecomb Eddy School grades and one each from the Center for Teaching and Learning and Edgecomb Community Church. But one tree stood out among the highly decorated group: Michelle Fortin’s Edgecomb Eddy third grade class won Best Overall. 

The remaining nine awards were: Greatest Spirit, second grade; Most Sparkle, Kindergarten; Best Nature Representation, fourth grade; Most Seasonal, first grade; Most School Related, fifth grade; Most Charlie Brown, pre-kindergarten; Greatest Use of Color, sixth grade; New Kids on the Block, Center for Teaching and Learning; and True Believers, Edgecomb Community Church. 

This was Edgecomb Eddy fourth grader Kiera Whitt’s first Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Decorating competition. “I really liked making the homemade ornaments by gluing pieces of wood together making snowmen, reindeer, and wreaths,” she said.

Whitt’s class spent two sessions totaling three hours in creating their decorations. Her teacher, Sarah Currier, led the class in creating decorations that could survive Maine’s harsh winter conditions. “We wanted to make them weather-proof. Something that would survive the wet, wind and weather,” she said. In the end, she was pleased with her students’ efforts. “I was glad seeing how it all came together in the end,” she said.

Participants weren’t the only ones who spent time preparing for the annual contest. Barbara Brennan, along with Janet Blevins, Mike Smith and Mike Maxim, formed the Charlie Brown Committee. Brennan described this year’s planning as more challenging than in recent years. “It was more challenging this year because we’re also planning the 250th Anniversary. We already have events planned for next month.  So, it was difficult to find time planning both events and time for our family Christmas plans,” she said.

Participants arrived in the morning on Dec. 8 to decorate their trees. Judges arrived at 3:30 p.m. to review the 10 decorated trees. At 5 p.m., participants gathered at the town hall to hear a Christmas story read by resident Dawn Murray, drink hot chocolate and eat Christmas cookies. Two judges were from Edgecomb: Selectman Mike Maxim and artist Ramone Hanley. The third judge was Boothbay Register reporter Bill Pearson of East Boothbay. 

Once all the trees were decorated Dec. 8, committee members placed Christmas lights on them. The display was supposed to last until after Christmas, but this weekend’s torrential wind and rain interceded. On Monday morning, all of the trees were blown to the ground with most of the homemade ornaments damaged.