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Charity Christmas Tree Contest
Once upon a Christmas time, the display windows of the old Miller & Rhoads flagship department store in down town Richmond were ablaze with bright lights and Christmas decorations that rivaled Macy's in New York City. People drove in from miles around to meet “the real Santa” and experience the magic of a Miller & Rhoads Christmas wonderland.
In 2010, we revived the beloved downtown tradition with twenty shimmering Christmas trees, each decorated by one of Richmond's many fine non-
2012 Charity Christmas Trees
The premise of the contest is this: Fifty charities in the Greater Richmond area are each decorating a Christmas tree for the windows of the old Miller & Rhoads building in downtown Richmond, Virginia. The Hilton Garden Inn downtown Richmond now occupies that building and is a big supporter of the event. Fifty different Richmond businesses and individuals are then be asked to sponsor a local non-profit’s tree into the contest.
In the tradition of television’s “Dancing with the Stars,” the winning tree will be chosen by a panel of judges and by the people of Virginia voting online. Last year, more than 11,000 Richmonders logged onto the event website to vote for their favorite tree. This year, in addition to the $1,000 Grand Prize, prizes will also be awarded for 2nd Place, 3rd Place and to the on-line People’s Choice Winner.
The 2012 Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas events start early this year with Build-a-Tree for Charity. They wind up with a gala “Twelfth Night Party” that features live entertainment, dinner, dancing and lots of surprises. The Christmas tree contest winners will all be announced during the evening’s celebration.
Don’t miss out on the magic this year. Whether you choose to support the events as a sponsor, help Build-a-Tree for Charity or just drive your family down to see the trees, please join us as we turn the lights back on in downtown Richmond for the Holiday Season!
Help Build-
Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas events begin in November 2012 with Help-Build-a-Tree sites. Greater Richmond now has an opportunity to support one of the non- profit organizations that participate in the contest with a donation. These contributionhs make it possible for their favorite nonprofit to afford to buy and decorate their Christmas tree entry.
Advance donations will help participating nonprofit organizations “build” a world-
Last Minute Christmas Gift
Twelfth Night Gala tickets make great last minute Christmas gifts and nothing could be easier to purchase, gift wrap or deliver.
No fighting the crowds at the shopping mall or trying to figure out what size she wears. Simply take out your credit card and purchase two tickets to the Twelfth Night Gala right here on the event website. You can even use PayPal, if you prefer.
Once you've completed the purchase online, a very impressive, full-color Gift Certificate will arrive in your email inbox, personalized with the name or names of the recipient. You can print out the Gift Certificate on a color printer, then just pop it into a Christmas card. If you prefer, we can send the pdf file of the Gift Certificate directly to you local FedEx Office location and they can print it for you.
Impressive Gift Certificate
Also written on the Gift Certificate will be the words “your Twelfth Night Gala tickets await your arrival at 7:30 pm Saturday night, January 5th, 2012 at the Ballroom of the Hilton Garden Inn, 501 East Broad Street in downtown Richmond.” The face value of the actual tickets on hold at the hotel is $125, however, you are only being charged $95 as the advance purchase discount price. Details of the event including the party theme and dress code are part of the certificate itself.
Instead of New Year's Eve
If you hate fighting the crowds on New Year's Eve, give two tickets to the Gala to your "significant other." Stay home on the 31st for an intimate evening alone, then when Saturday night roles around take your date to the formal, masked gala for a night to remember. The Hilton Garden Inn downtown is offering special room rates of only $69 for those attending the Twelfth Night Gala.
Not only will you be supporting 50 different Richmond non-profit organizations, you'll be stretching your holiday festivities all the way to the 12th Day of Christmas!
Purchase 12th Night Gala tickets now!
Twelfth Night Gala & Awards
The 3rd annual Miller & Rhoads Charity Christmas events will culminate with the king of all festive holiday parties, the Twelfth Night Gala celebration!
Colonials once celebrated Twelfth Night with their own elaborate masked balls, loud music, festive entertainment and spirited dancing.
Amidst this swish of taffeta, tinkle of crystal and sparkle of glittered masks, the lucky winners of our 2012 Charity Christmas tree contest will be announced. The date is Saturday night, January 5th, 2013 and the venue is the Hilton Garden Inn downtown Richmond, Virginia. Read more
Richmond, Get your Mask On!
Do not miss the Twelfth Night Gala celebrating Richmond's downtown Charity Christmas Trees. Saturday night, January 5th get all dressed up and Get your mask On!
Matt DiNardo with TV8 will be the Master of Ceremonies in the Ballroom of the Hilton Garden Inn downtown Richmond. We'll be dining and dancing and, yes, gettin' our mask on, Baby!
to get the advance discount rate.
