Group's Christmas concert is "a gift to the community"

For the last three years, the Dale Hogenson family and its friends have decorated a barn on their farm and staged a Christmas concert.

The centerpiece of the event is a 25-foot tall Christmas tree decorated with lights and ornaments.  This year the Hogensons were given a free tree from the Bappe Christmas Tree Farm—although they had to move it to their farm on a flat bed trailer and then cut off around five feet to make it fit in the barn.  It took volunteers one week to decorate the tree.

On Sunday night, the results were there for guests to see.  The tree was lit and performers were gathered for a free concert and musical celebration of the birth of Christ. This year's event included live animals—some alpacas looked on as the music was performed.

One of the organizers of the event, Annie Rude, says the event is designed as a celebration of the real reason for the holidays.  She says the concert is intended "to be a gift" to area families.  The musicians and others participating in the concert feel it is their chance to offer something to the community, she says.

The alpacas got ready

The musicians got ready

The audience got ready

The tree was ready