Merry Christmas 2015

Yesterday afternoon the Miller Tree Inn was filled with life, laughter and friendly competition, as our current and former housekeepers and innsitters gathered for a Christmas Party. 

The party was organized, planned and hosted by 2 of our "girls".  We think that everyone had a good time, gauging by all the talking, laughing and gingerbread house making that went on in our dining room!

It fills us with warmth to see our most special young women stop by year after year to say hello and catch us up on their lives.  In the 17 years we have had the inn, we have had an incredible number of beautiful, smart and talented young women work for us.  We are truly blessed that they have let us share a little bit of their lives and it has been wonderful to see them grow up.

2015 was a good year for the Miller Tree Inn.  We continue to have the best guests in the world and we thank each one who stayed with us.  All of our guests enrich our lives in some way and we are lucky.

In 2016, the building that is the Miller Tree Inn will be 100 years old.  We are going to have a year long celebration starting with an Open House and 100th birthday party on January 13.  We will be blogging about things as they come up, so follow along with us in wishing this grand old house a "Happy 100th!"

From all of us at the Miller Tree Inn to all of our family, friends, guests, and guests to be, we wish you Merry Christmas and a very Happy 2016!

New Cullen Family Christmas Stockings

As usual, we have hung the Cullen family Christmas stockings by the chimney with care.  They hang proudly on the fireplace mantle under the picture of the barn, with the Christmas star hanging brightly above it.  On the mantle itself, is the nativity set that Susan's parents lovingly made and painted and gave to Bill & Susan more than 20 years ago.

This year, the stockings are a bit different.  Our friends, Mary Beth and Trent, gifted us with beautiful new stockings that match the character personalities and are lovingly embroidered.  We would like to thank Mary Beth and Trent for this thoughtful gift and post the first picture of our new stockings.

Christmas comes with many traditions here at the Miller Tree Inn.  For the last few years, we have purchased a decorated tree at the Festival of Trees auction sponsored by our local Soroptomists.  Hanging the Cullen family Christmas stockings is another tradition that we enjoy and a newer tradition is the making of Egg Nog French Toast.  We try to have this special holiday treat several times throughout the season, from Thanksgiving to New Year's.  We hope that we will get to make you some this holiday!

Inside the Miller Tree Inn Christmas

The weekend of December 4, 5, and 6, 2015 was a busy one in Forks.  It started with Cherish the Children on December 4, an annual seafood buffet, silent and live auction to raise money to give the needy children of LaPush and Forks a very Merry Christmas.  We understand that around $20,000 was raised at this event.

Saturday brought breakfast with Santa, a Christmas Bazaar, a Choral Concert, viewing of the Trees at the Festival of Trees, the Twinkle Light Parade and Moonlight Madness.

On Sunday was the auctioning of the beautifully decorated trees from the Soroptomists' Festival of Trees.  There were a large selection of trees and wreaths sponsored by local businesses and individuals and auctioned off to a room full of enthusiastic bidders.  The Miller Tree Inn sponsored tree was beautifully decorated in a snowman theme by a talented member of our community.  We purchased a tree sponsored by a local physician and decorated by the Forks Abuse Center.  We were happy to be able to contribute to this worthy cause.  Soroptomists provide a variety of services including transportation for cancer treatment, weekend food filled backpacks for children, scholarships and many other things.  This charitable cause raised $15,000 at their Festival of Trees. 

The Cherish the Children event and the Festival of Trees, together raised more than $35,000 in a single weekend!  We are so proud and humbled to be a part of this little community that many people see as depressed and economically disadvantaged.  That may very well be true, but the members of Forks and the surrounding area have the biggest hearts and that is truly beautiful.  The Christmas spirit is alive and well in Forks.  Come on over for a visit and make your plans for the first weekend in December next year, so that you can experience the magic that happens here.