Christmas Begins in Little Compton With the Annual Tree Spree [VIDEO]

Hundreds of people milled around the gymnasium all day Sunday for an annual democratic ritual: picking the best dressed Christmas tree in the 18th annual Ben Wilkie Memorial Tree Spree.

Participants purchased a certain of number of tickets at the gym entrance, then spend the afternoon walking around the display tables covered in miniature Christmas trees all uniquely decorated in a different them and drop any number of tickets in a bag in front of each tree to "cast" their vote.

At the end of the day, names were randomly selected out of each tree's voting bag and the winner got to take the tree home, including all the goodies hanging on it. People also voted on various prizes that were on display.

Resident Cheryl Cady sat at a table counting tickets with friends. She said this is her ninth or tenth year coming to the Tree Spree.

"Each year they seem to get better and better," she said. "I like the old-fashioned trees. This year's got lobster [decorations]."

Mary K. Silvia, a former Newport resident, came back from Englewood, FL, to see the Tree Spree for the second time and reconnect with old friends. Silvia and Cady encouraged Alexis DeSouza, of Fall River, to put all 14 of her tickets toward a new violin that was available as a prize.

Every year, Christmas trees are entered to resident Caroline Wordell, who is founder of the Tree Spree. She said today the Tree Spree has taken on a life of its own, and it continues to grow. It began when Wordell lost her brother, Ben Wilkie, to cancer. She started it as a memorial to him and help fund a scholarship in his memory.

The Little Compton Village Improvement Society runs a food vendor during the Tree Spree, where all the proceeds go toward the Ben Wilkie Memorial Scholarship. It is administered by the Citizen's Scholarship Foundation of Little Compton.

Also on Sunday the town lit its Christmas tree on the Commons and sang carols around it. Santa Claus and his elf arrived on his Harley Davidson after dusk to hand out gifts to the children.