If you’re lucky enough to find yourself on Spruce street during December, you can find neighbors coming together to spread holiday cheer. This all started when Rich Odell, the founding member of the 12 Days of Christmas moved to Traverse City and wanted more of a community feel.
He found 11 neighbors to jump on board and help make this dream a reality. This annual event has 12 different displays featuring each day of the iconic “12 Days of Christmas” song and brings community students together to recreate a scene from a movie on a 9 x 12 mural. New to the event this year is the song boards that local 2nd and 3rd grade students have made.
One of Rich’s favorite displays is the “6 Geese a Laying”. He says, “One of the geese realize that there is a very large egg with a baby already out so there is a concern that the other geese are ignoring by turning the other way. We try to be a little funny.”
Every year is different so if you find that you came last year, your experience is sure to be different this year! The students from local schools are awarded several prizes. First place receives a $1,000 donation to their art department, second place gets $500, third takes home $250 and the “People’s Choice” is awarded a pizza party!
These neighbors however, are looking to find someone else in the community to take this community event over. “We are hopeful that someone in the community that is looking to take it to another part of Traverse City would be great. It’s not that we don’t like doing it, we’re just getting a little older and therefore not as able to do it. I wish I could hire some people to help but instillation takes five days,” explains Odell.
If you would like to visit or would like to take this event over for future years,
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