The Chelsea Middle School volleyball team hosted the 2016 Miss Merry Christmas Pageant on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. in the CHMS cafeteria. All girls from birth to the 12^th grade were invited to participate.

“Pageants are important because they teach girls a lot about self-esteem and self respect. They’re fun, because you get to dress up and you get to polish your nails and fix your hair. Some of them get to wear makeup, depending on how old they are,” CHHS Volleyball Coach and Miss Merry Christmas Pageant Organizer Michelle Nivens said.

Nivens said the pageant was a festive occasion. The CHMS cafeteria was decorated for the holidays, and contestants discussed their favorite parts of Christmas while onstage.

“The girls [also] get to spend time together while they’re waiting to go onstage, and several of the girls were talking about what they’re asking for during Christmas,” Nivens said.

Contestants were also given the opportunity to wear semi-formal Christmas themed dresses in lieu of traditional pageant dresses.

The pageant was divided into six divisions. Girls from birth to 5-year-olds who aren’t in kindergarten were sorted into the Wee Miss Division. The Tiny Miss Division was for girls in kindergarten and the first grade. Girls in the second and third grades were placed in the Petite Miss Division, and fourth and fifth graders were placed in he Little Miss Division. The Junior Miss Division was for girls in middle school. The title of Miss Merry Christmas was given to a competing girl in high school. Contestants also competed for the Christmas Angel Viewer’s Choice Award, which was decided by votes from the audience.

There was one winner in each division:

• Wee Miss Merry Christmas – Ricki Ann Lorino
• Tiny Miss Merry Christmas – Joscelyn Butler
• Petite Miss Merry Christmas – Kaitlyn Maddox
• Little Miss Merry Christmas – Chloe Lael
• Junior Miss Merry Christmas – Jocelyn Ewing
• Miss Merry Christmas- Madison Smith
• Christmas Angel Viewer’s Choice Award- Crimson Nivens

Winners will have the option to ride on a float in the Chelsea Christmas Parade on Dec. 17.

2016 Miss Merry Christmas Pageant, Madison Smith, is a senior at Chelsea High School.

“It was so exciting to win this pageant. This was my senior year, so it kind of felt like my last chance. I am so grateful to everyone who helped put the pageant together,” Smith said.

Smith said she appreciated the way the pageant fostered a sense of community during the holidays.

“It brought the community together, and it really brings the spirit of Christmas. There were girls wearing green, red and while, and it was a great way to kick off the holiday season,” Smith said

According to Nivens, this is the first year that the Miss Merry Christmas Pageant was held at CHMS. In previous years, the pageant was held at CHHS until the sponsor retired two years ago. Last year, the neither school held the pageant.

“There was no Christmas pageant last year. This year, we wanted to see that there was a pageant. We stepped up and hosted it,” Nivens said.

Nivens said next year’s Miss Merry Christmas Pageant will most likely be held at CHHS. However, the 2016 Little Miss Chelsea Pageant and the Miss Chelsea Middle School Pageant will be held at CHMS in the spring.