It's like stepping into a Christmas windup musical box, with all the characters dancing from room to room amid an enchanted holiday scene of decorated trees, mantels, windows and doors.
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Natalie Gundrum stands in front of the hibiscus flower tree, and she has made the festival the largest and only fundraiser for the historic estate. |
Signed "Happy Holidays" from the historic Powel Crosley Estate and wishing you and yours a magical season, but let's start at the mansion.
Orchids, hibiscus flowers, hand painted spheres and American flags are a few examples of the decorated trees that showered the 13th Annual ”Festival of Trees“ at the Crosley.
From the time you step into the entrance hall of the mansion, you are transported back in time when a beautiful, mature lady played the piano and sang chorals. While a group shared a Christmas tea in the dining room, others toured the mansion, enjoying a holiday spectacular of trees, gingerbread houses and crafts.
And all along the Sarasota Bay, which is in view from most angles of the mansion.
But no one dares stroll through the festival without knowing the effort and dedication of one chairwoman.
Her name is Natalie Gundrum and for 13 years she has made the festival the largest and only fundraiser for the historic estate.
If you blink, though, you could miss the chairwoman making her way through the people and scampering from tree to tree.
”Well, you've never seen anything quite like this,“ Gundrum said, while standing in front of a tree decorated with real hibiscus flowers in all colors. ”I have 53 trees and all the windows, and doorways, and mantles, and all the rooms – decorated. This whole house is decorated.“
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She's been performing since age five. Barbara Cottrell entertains the people at the festival and sings ”All I Want for
Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth.“ Click to see Piano Player at the Crosley.
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All the effort is to benefit the restoration and preservation of the estate. ”All of our money we raised has preserved this place and brought it back to life again,“ she said.
Her mission is to restore the carriage house on the property, so people can walk through it again.
”It's a joy on the bay here and I just want it to get better and better,“ Gundrum said. ”But I don't know how much better we can get because this is the best yet.“
But it's not just Gundrum and the people visiting the festival who are overcome by the holiday spirit at the mansion.
Lorraine Young is volunteering for the first time at the Crosley and she is there to get into the Christmas holidays.
She's volunteering in a small room on the second floor of the mansion. Those trees are all decorated and designed by children. One tree, which brings a feeling of joy over Young, is the tree designed by autistic children.
Next, she points to a tree that bloomed all hand-painted and handmade ornaments.
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| Lorraine Young is volunteering for the first time at the Crosley and she is there to get into the Christmas holidays. |
”This helps me to get into the season when you are away from home,“ Young said. ”You need to see a little snow. This makes you feel like you are really into the holidays.“
And while a group of ladies sip their Christmas tea and enjoy tasty scones on the main level of the mansion, Jerry Miller is daydreaming of days gone past. He was on the second level, above the tea time, and said that room was host to many Powel Crosley poker games.
He ought to know, being the estate's volunteer historian. This is his 15th year as a volunteer and he said this year they had better trees and better decorators than ever before.
He tells a little secret: They say this was grandpa's hideout, and we also understand that there were a few good poker games over the years here.
One of the trees in ”grandpa's hideout“ is overlaid with American flags, while another is the host to antique ornaments.
Back downstairs, Barbara Cottrell continues to entertain the people and now sings ”All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,“ and smiles like she's on stage at a concert.
She's been performing since age 5 and she's, let's just say, a little older now.
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| Jerry Miller is daydreaming of days gone past, when Powel Crosley played a little poker in the room where the patriotic tree stood. |
Gundrum continues her scampering though the festival and shares with people all the choices they have to do at the mansion, which will run through Dec. 9
”They have choices,“ Gundrum said. ”If they just want to come to mansion and enjoy all this, or have tea, or watch the Manatee Players.“
Don't forget the daily wine tastings and the sailing aboard the ”Sea Dragon,“ too.
She says she couldn't have done it without all the amazing help of the volunteers, including Wil Pearson.
”This is the most decorating that we've ever had and it's through everybody's hard work and efforts,“ Gundrum said.
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