Trees taking shape for Christmas

TREE DELIGHT: Shedders Barry Smith (Henley) and Richard Burgess (Featherston) cutting out a Christmas tree. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

Woodworkers are usually responsible for the demise of trees, but on Sunday a group of Men's Shed members were responsible for creating some, of the Christmas variety, to be used as part of Wairarapa Christmas festivities.

Twelve flat-pack plywood Christmas trees were commissioned by Connecting Communities, (formerly Masterton Safe and Healthy Community Council) as part of its 12 Nights of Christmas programme and were cut out at Henley Men's Shed on Sunday.

Sandy Ryan, manager of Connecting Communities and Community Development Officer with the Masterton District Council, was on hand to check out progress. She talked about exciting new plans for the 12 Nights of Christmas, including an international sensation known as Yarn Bombing.

Call it Graffiti for Grans if you like. It involves people knitting, knotting, crocheting or otherwise covering in bright yarns structures such as telephone boxes, power poles, statues and even parked cars.

"It's all about getting people to participate," said Sandy. And unlike regular graffiti yarn bombing is easily removed after the event.

Ms Ryan said some of the Christmas trees made on Sunday will be distributed to schools and preschools for the children to decorate. A couple will be retained for the 12 Nights of Christmas celebrations at Masterton's new town square, one for conventional decoration and possibly one a tree of remembrance. The trees are reusable.

The programme kicks off at 8.30pm on December 13, with Mayor Lyn Patterson opening the electronic Christmas tree that will be a feature of the square. That will be followed by Carols by Candlelight and will end about 10pm. The programme on most of the following 11 nights will run from 6.30 to 8pm, with singers, a talent show, dancing and pipe bands, with a big finale on December 20.