Editor’s note: Kate Gardiner, a former Lake Geneva-area resident and onetime summer intern at the Lake Geneva Regional News, usually lives in New York City. Because of the coronavirus outbreak in New York City, she is back home on the farm — and writing this occasional series.
People are also reading…
Photos: Get a rare glimpse inside the Abbey Resort's huge holiday tree
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 1
The 25-foot holiday tree outside the Abbey Resort in Fontana is shown Nov. 26 with a small opening near the bottom that leads inside, where a worker is on the job.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 2
From the outside, only a hand is visible Nov. 26 of the worker connecting lights inside the holiday tree that will greet visitors all season at the Abbey Resort in Fontana.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 3
Through a small opening, worker Shawn Sponenburg is visible Nov. 26 inside the holiday tree at the Abbey Resort in Fontana, as Sponenburg assembles and connects the lights.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree
Worker Shawn Sponenburg connects lights deep inside the Abbey Resort holiday tree, which is an artificial tree with individual sections of garland hanging on a heavy steel frame.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 5
Inside the artificial tree's interior, the hollow cone is visible nearly all the way to the top as worker Shawn Sponenburg connects lights in the 25-foot-tall display at the Abbey Resort in Fontana.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 6
Abbey Resort worker Shawn Sponenburg connects lights Nov. 26 inside the resort's large holiday tree, with a public tree-lighting ceremony scheduled Nov. 30 to kick off the holiday season.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 7
The cone shape of the metal frame is shown on the Abbey Resort holiday tree as Shawn Sponenburg works inside the artificial tree Nov. 26 to get it ready for a tree-lighting ceremony.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 8
Shawn Sponenburg, an employee at the Abbey Resort in Fontana, gets inside the resort's 25-foot holiday tree by crawling through a small opening in the tree's metal frame — and he says climbing out is harder than climbing in.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 9
Abbey Resort worker Shawn Sponenburg says it takes at least two people to assemble the metal frame of the resort's 25-foot holiday tree, but he can connect the lights alone just by climbing inside the cone of the tree.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 10
Worker Shawn Sponenburg checks all the light connections Nov. 26 inside the Abbey Resort holiday tree in Fontana in preparation for a Nov. 30 tree lighting ceremony for the village's holiday season kick-off.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 11
Shawn Sponenburg of the Abbey Resort in Fontana allowed a Lake Geneva Regional News reporter inside the hollow cone of the resort's 25-foot holiday tree Nov. 26 while he was assembling the lights.
Inside the Abbey Resort tree - 12
Once worker Shawn Sponenburg has all the lights connected, the 25-foot tree at the Abbey Resort in Fontana will shine bright throughout the holiday season.
Kate Gardiner is the founder and CEO of Grey Horse Communications, a creative agency based in New York City.
