Foggy Rock Eatery and Pub Celebrates Christmas with an Employee Christmas Tree Competition

First place went to Santa’s Toy Shop by Amanda Cromp.

By Hailey Blevins

Each year, Foggy Rock Eatery and Pub in Blowing Rock celebrates the Christmas season with their annual Christmas Tree Competition between the employees. The tradition started when Foggy Rock opened in 2010, and this is the 9th year of the Christmas Tree Competition.

“We just wanted to do something that our employees could be involved in. I don’t know exactly it came about. Christmas trees just seemed to be the thing to do, and it kinda grew from there,” says Burt Myers, owner of Foggy Rock.

The winners were announced yesterday evening at the annual employee Christmas party. First place was awarded to Santa’s Toy Shop by Amanda Cromp, second place went to Beatlemas by Nikki Acuff and third place went to The Grinch by Hannah.

This year, there were a total of 17 trees in the competition. The trees are a big hit with both customers and the employees. “It’s become very popular with our guests and our employees. It’s fun to do, and our employees enjoy being a part of something like that. We do the same thing with Jack O’lanterns in October.”

Myers says that some employees spend a lot of time preparing the themes and decorating their trees, often starting as soon as the Jack O’lantern competition ends. “Basically, at the end of October, they start working on their Christmas trees.”

The employees who want to participate are each given a tree. “We buy 12 inch trees and give them a 2 foot by 2 foot place to put it. We well them as long as they use the tree and it’s somewhat a Christmas theme, they can think outside the box or do whatever they want. They’ve been pretty creative with that over the years.”

Once the trees are decorated, the staff hands over the competition to their customers, who decide on the winners. “We have our customers vote on them. They fill out a slip and turn it in. Then, during our Christmas party, we announce the winners and give cash prizes for their efforts.”

The trees are such a popular part of Foggy Rock’s Christmas traditions that the customers often request to buy them from the employees. “In the past, customers have wanted to buy them, and a lot of them have been sold and gone to customer’s houses, which will likely be the case this year.”

There’s still time to visit Foggy Rock and see the trees for yourself. “They will be up through Christmas, and around New Years we will take them down.”

Foggy Rock Eatery and Pub is located at 8180 Valley Blvd in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Click here for directions.