- March 13, 2025
Susan Barry helps decorate the Christmas tree for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Rosanna Jacobsen helps decorate for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Nancy Ruscitti helps decorate for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Lee Tisdale is the chairwoman for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Deedee Blanchard helps decorate for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Casements Guild members laugh as they work on the centerpieces for the 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Photos of movie stars, such as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, decorate the upstairs of The Casements for the Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala theme is "Hollywood Christmas." Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Susan Hansen works on the children's Christmas tree. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Vicki Liso dresses a mannequin as Audrey Hepburn for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Vicki Liso, Joyce Kresge and Linda Bonis work on getting the Audrey Hepburn mannequin ready for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Organizations, such as the Capt. James Ormond Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, decorate trees for the gallery. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Sue Fowler and Jennifer Campbell decorate the Seaside Herb Society's Christmas tree for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Sarah Garcia decorates the Environmental Discovery Center's Christmas Tree for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The decorations for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala were primarily made by the Guild's crafting club. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala tree features red, gold, silver, white and black decorations. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Becky Panknin decorates a garland for The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Casements Guild's 46th annual Christmas Gala will start on Friday, Dec. 6. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
This year, The Casements is celebrating Christmas in Hollywood style.
Black, white, gold, silver and red adorn the historic Ormond Beach home, formerly owned by John D. Rockefeller. The Casements Guild's theme for its 46th annual Christmas Gala is "Hollywood Holiday," which was long requested by one of their docents, said gala chairwoman Lee Tisdale.
"We start in January and we run right up until two days before," Tisdale said.
Guild members were hard at work Tuesday, Dec. 3, in getting the house ready for the weekend's gala, which starts on Friday, Dec. 6, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 8, though the house remains decorated all month long.
The Hollywood theme, Tisdale said, put the Guild's crafters to work. They made all the wreaths this year as well as the cinema decorations scattered throughout the house.
"We really got the crafters really involved this year," Tisdale said. "Every time you see a wreath, we did it."
On Friday, Dec. 6, the first day of the free three-day Gala, Santa and Mrs. Claus — along with the Snow Queen and Rockefeller — will arrive at 6 p.m. for a tree lighting ceremony. There will be train rides, entertainment, food trucks, a cookie decorating station, face painting and more. The Guild's gourmet shop will also be open inside The Casements to sell baked goods.
On Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7-8, the gala event will run from 12-5 p.m. There will be entertainment, visits with Santa and craft sales.
On all three days, visitors can also tour the tree gallery, which features decorated Christmas trees from various clubs and organizations.
The Guild used to charge admission for the Gala event, but has chosen not to for the past six years.
"It's our gift to the community," Tisdale said.
