How Many Years Until It Is a Tradition?!

Friday I went to the Festival of Trees.  Again.  I love this event.  It is a fundraiser for the Primary Children's Medical Center.  They do wonderful work for children all over the region here.  They are amazing and never turn a child away because of financial issues. This is one of their big events to keep that true year round.

Here are a few of my favorite shots this year:

Attending the Festival of Trees is always a good way for me to find the Christmas spirit.  It is one of my favorites things each year.

Day 24

final report from Festival of Trees:

One of our family's favorite Christmas holiday traditions is the annual watching of the classic A Christmas Story.  You know, the one where Ralphie wants a Red Rider BB Gun, but his mom, the teacher and even Santa tell him "You'll shoot your eye out".  We watch that as a family every Christmas eve.  It cracks me up.  It also reminds me of my dad and the stories about how poor they were and the fact that my dad, though not an"Oldsmobile man", is indeed a Chrysler guy.  You can't make this stuff up without some sort of reality prompt.  I love the movie.

So for my final report form this year's festival, I give you the Christmas Story tree:

That 'ole Spud Farkis...stuck his tongue to the pole and now it won't cope off!  Oh, and see, there is the Leg Lamp...with it's the glow of electric sex...shameful!  Hahahaha!!

Just what every boy wants!

I won a major award!! It must be Italian.

Just can't get better protection that "Ole Blue".

No one in kid-dom want to hear that!!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.  May your day be filled with love and laughter, and friends and family!  Any may you never have to eat out at a Chinese restaurant for Christmas!  Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra!


PS--Did you hear there is an off-Broadway musical version of the beloved movie?  Yep.  HERE is the NPR story about it.  You know that I will be wanting to see that when it finally comes around to the Capitol Theater.

Day 23

Festival of Trees report:

We ARE getting close to Santa's big night.  Maybe this is how he gets everything delivered on time!

How about a Madagasgar themed, jungle gingerbread scene?   There are surprises at the festival, I tell ya.

Speaking of surprises, how about a gingerbread pagoda?!  Yep.  It was there too.

And no place is really finished until you've got a place to "go".

Day 22

Festival of Trees report:

These three are detail of three different quilts.  I just love the whimsy and cleverness in each.  And so cute!  The tractor quilt was covered in various trucks, and large equipment--a little boy's fantasy quilt.

Day 21

Festival of Trees report:

Yeah, there's a gingerbread APP for that.  That's right.  This is a gingerbread Angry Birds depiction.  Some people have a lot of time on their hands to conceptualize stuff like this.  In case you haven't had time on your hands (like waiting in the eternal line at WalMart this tie of year), here's a little offering to help you kill some time...and maybe a few naughty pigs.

Day 20

Festival of Trees report:

 A gingerbread depiction of the North Pole with Heat Miser and Snow Miser at work and play.  You know I love the Heat Miser.  I love his little song, and just for fun, I thought I'd include it here again for you:

Day 19

Festival of Trees report:

How is this for a real Angel Tree?  The wings frame the tree and the tree frames the angel and the angel's halo tops off the whole piece.  This was lovely to see in person.  And it made me stop and look a little closer too.  It was just lovely, trust me.

Day 18 & Sunday Video

Festival of Trees Report:


Maybe this is Santa's vacation home:

And here is one of my favorite holiday commericals.  I can sure feel for this dad.  I remember having chanes to read with the kids and having this kind of thing happen:

Day 17

Festival of Trees report:

Sometimes the little addition of personality really make the overall look of the display a family creates.  Plus, who can argue with the sentiments of these two little panels?!

Day 16

Festival of Trees report:

I loved this little ornament because it reminds me of what my mom and dad call the deer that show up in their California yard in the mornings--sometimes to eat their trees or devour the garden.  They are always "deer friends".  Add Rudolph to the list of friends, then, for the holidays.

Day 15

Festival of Trees report:

Yes, there was even an little old woman, who lived in a gingerbread shoe.  Ha ha!!  I love the little swing set made of red licorice in the yard.

Day 14

Festival of Trees report:

Another gingerbread house, I know, but look at those reindeer.  When I first saw them, I thought they were sheep.  They look so fluffy and round.  Wool does that to you, you know.  I think the cartoon quality of this one is terrific!

Day 13

Festival of Trees report:

Another feature of the festival is a collection of holiday art and handiwork.  These are just two examples of the beautiful--and insanely intricate--cross stitch pieces on display.

Yes, I said CROSS STITCH:

Gorgeous, right?  I have neither the talent nor patience  to do something like this.  Good thing I can just photograph other people's work.

Day 12

Festival of Trees report:

Here is one of the more unusal trees I saw this year. 

It is created from tiers of Holiday Barbies collected over the years.  It is a little hard to see, but there were dozens of Barbies, yet in their boxes, layered to make a tree, of sorts.  What little girl--probably about 4 years old, as I recall The Girl being crazy for Barbie at the age--wouldn't adore this one?!

Day 11 & Sunday Video

Festival of Trees report:

The ornaments on these beautiful trees can sometimes surprise you by their simply and understated messages.  But the message of that first Christmas was simple and understated too.  Maybe that similarity is why I love the Festival of Trees so much each year.  They remind me of what this season is really all about.

Day 10

Festival of Trees report:

Besides the trees, gingerbread houses and quilts, they also have several aisles of doors with beautiful wreaths decorated and hung up for all to see.  Some are stunning and others--well, they make my sad simple little front door look like it belongs on a playhouse out back.

A stunning, ornamented nativity wreath.

A patriotic explosion of a wreath.

A delicate, angel inspired wreath of hope and faith.



See what I mean?  These aren't the regular little fake pine circle hanging on a door.  These are pieces of art.