My Holiday Traditions: #2 The Dover Festival Of Trees

(Dover, NH) - For the past 8 years, the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce has held a fund-raiser on the first Friday of December.

It's a familiar theme: area businesses and non-profits purchase the trees for a nominal fee, decorate them and then put them on display at the Rivermill at Dover Landing.

Area residents bid on most the trees by silent auction, and 5 trees are sold in a live auction. The money raised supports the City Lights project, which has helped to decorate the downtown area for the holidays.

Carolers greet the attendees and Santa is there to meet with the kids and hear their Christmas wishes.

The event always falls close to my birthday, so I like to think I celebrate the day with several thousand of my close friends.