Literary Themed Christmas Trees
This past weekend we went to the Festival of Trees, an annual event where individuals, groups, and organizations decorate and donate a Christmas tree. These trees are then sold and every single penny (we’re talking millions here) raised goes to provide medical care for needy children at Primary Children’s Medical Center. Between 70,000 and 80,000 people attend the Festival of Trees each year. It’s huge! This was the second year that we (by we, I mean I’m in charge of twenty 8-11 year olds at church) decorated and donated a tree. They enjoy it so much that I have a feeling that I’ve started a tradition.
This is the tree we did last year (it’s worth posting again, because when I wrote about it last year I had zero readership on this blog):
It’s a small photo so I don’t know if you can really tell, but it’s a candy tree. This year they wanted to do a snowman and snowflake tree. I was so nervous that we would get there and find out it was still for sale but it wasn’t. Yay!
I had to show you the top because that’s my favorite part. The girls made the snowmen heads. Adorable. Participating in the Festival of Trees is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I hope to continue to do something every year.
So while browsing all the other hundreds of trees, I took photos of all the literary themed Christmas trees to share with you. This one is set atop of a bookshelf filled with books:
Obviously inspired by How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess this was one of my favorite displays. Among the most creative I’ve seen in years:
This tree had books on it:
I have to admit that this is the first year I’ve seen manequins among the displays. This one is taken from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens:
This tree is perhaps one of the oddest I’ve seen. It’s inspired from a book titled Christmas Shoes
This is an I Spy Christmas tree. My little boy LOVES the I Spy
Two Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne trees:
I loved this Dr. Suess
A Twilightinspired tree (just wait, there’s a great Twilight tree below!):
This tree was titled “The Love of Reading”
This was a huge Cullen Christmas tree. It was so crowded around it that you could hardly see it. Everything under the tree is a gift for each of the characters in Twilight
Pretty cool. There was also a Twilight
These last two are not literary inspired but well worth sharing. Can you believe people make these and donate them to be auctioned for the Children’s hospital? Very awesome.
This one has little balls that go up and down it.
So there you go! Which was your favorite literary themed Christmas tree?
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Category: Bookish Musings & Miscellany
Tags: Christmas, literacy, traditions
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Okay, those are AWESOME. I absolutely love them all. The Grinch and the Cullen trees may be my favorites.
on December 9th, 2008 at 7:16 amA Christmas tree festival! I just love the idea, and I love all the trees. But my favourite actually is the snowman and snowflakes ones. So cute!
on December 9th, 2008 at 7:22 amI love the cozy fireplace, filled bookshelf, and rocking chair with a quilt one. BUT… the Cullen one IS very cool. How much fun they must have had thinking that all up!
on December 9th, 2008 at 7:29 amYou know, I just love reading your blog. You’re so much fun! Those trees are awesome, and for such a good cause. I just shake my head at the Twilight insanity…it is out of control! However, I bet they raised alot of money, which in this case, is what its all about.
on December 9th, 2008 at 7:41 amYour snowman tree looks great. How wonderful that the children get to be involved with such a good cause. That blown glass? tree is amazing. I think it would be worth driving down from wyoming to see these.
on December 9th, 2008 at 8:43 amThat glass tree is awesome! I can’t even imagine how much that would cost. Do people bid on the trees (like an auction)? Or is there someone who actually sets a price for the tress?
Too fun!
PS I thought I submitted this earlier, but maybe not. Sorry if it’s a repeat!
on December 9th, 2008 at 9:15 amWow, those trees are fabulous. I vote for the Grinch tree.
on December 9th, 2008 at 9:17 amBeing a person who has 13 Christmas trees in her house, you know I found this post irresistible!
on December 9th, 2008 at 9:59 amI think the Grinch tree and the I Spy tree are great. I liked Twilight, but never caught the fever, so when I saw the house with Edward on the roof, he reminded me of a creepy Peeping Tom…lol
on December 9th, 2008 at 11:37 amI remember going to this when I was really little… thanks for the memories! I liked the Dr. Seuss tree best. Oh, and Twilight gingerbread house… very clever.
on December 9th, 2008 at 1:11 pmThe candy tree is cute but I love the Snowman one! My favorite would have to be the Twilight trees though. I WANT!
on December 9th, 2008 at 2:35 pmThis is one of my most favorite Christmas events to attend. Every single penny goes to the hospital. Corporations donate their time, services, and money so nothing has to be paid for by the hospital. They have the trees, wreathes, centerpieces, gingerbread houses, gifts, food, and ticket sales all go to charity. Everything is donated. Amazing.
Janssen – You know I have to double check your name every single time I write it out to make sure I don’t have it misspelled! Amazing, huh?
Nymeth – Ah, shucks. You’re making me blush.
Suey – I heard one of the ladies in charge of that section talking. Apparently, it’s a group who all read the book and then they all vacationed together to Forks and saw all the places in the book. Talk about fans!
Sandy – That particular tree sold for $4000! Wow.
Lisa – The girls love it. It makes going with their families that much more special. Isn’t the glass tree awesome? I’ve never seen anything like it. What I’d like to know is how do they transport it?
KT – You submit to the board people the retail value of the tree and they decide on a beginning bid. The day before it opens to the general public, they have a fancy opening night ($40 just to get in to bid but then again it all goes to charity) where they are auctioned off. Whatever isn’t sold then is tagged so the general public can purchase them throughout the week. I think whatever doesn’t sell (which makes me want to cry!) goes up to the hospital to their lobby, I think.
Kathy – I wanted that Grinch tree for myself. So, so creative!
Cathy – Okay, girl! 13 trees! I imagine they are all themed, right? Where do you put them all? It must take you forever to decorate for Christmas!
Mo – I walked right past that one and thought weird, there’s this guy in a tree. Odd. Then I overheard someone say, “Oh look – Twilight.” I had to turn around and look at it again. But Edward is a peeping tom though, isn’t he?
Melissa – I remember going to this as well when I was really small. It was fun to rediscover when I moved back after being out of state for about 7 years.
Jen – I should post a better photo of the candy one. Up close, it’s really adorable. The Snowman one is really cute. I have to say, I’m quite biased.
on December 9th, 2008 at 4:17 pmNatasha, those trees are SO cool. Thanks a million for sharing (especially since we don’t even have ours up yet!). I feel inspired suddenly to make a literary tree. Love the artistic tree with the lilypad like branches…wow. And your snowmen/snowflakes tree is ADORABLE. Can y’all come decorate our tree this year???
on December 9th, 2008 at 4:46 pmVery interesting. I loved some of them…and a few I never would have thought of on my own…
on December 9th, 2008 at 5:04 pmVery cool! I haven’t read The Christmas Shoes book but I’ve ssen the movie and heard the song many times. It’s a great story!
on December 9th, 2008 at 5:30 pmAll the trees are great but your snowman and snowflake tree is my favorite. The snowman heads are just awesome! Thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures.
on December 9th, 2008 at 5:55 pmYour snowman/snowflake tree came out so beautiful! My favorite literary one is probably the I-Spy one. The Twilight gingerbread house is creepy with Edward up there!
The sculpture trees are awesome, too. Thanks for sharing! We haven’t attended our Festival of the Trees in a couple years, I wonder if we missed it? It’s always so fun to see what people did with them.
on December 9th, 2008 at 6:08 pmThese are awesome!! I wish I had the artistic ability to do things like this.
on December 9th, 2008 at 8:48 pmI had so much fun looking at your pictures! The trees are beautiful!
on December 9th, 2008 at 9:50 pmSusan – We just put up our tree on Sunday. Well, our second tree. I must admit that going to this Festival every year has inspired me to have two trees. One in the front window that I can decorate any way I want and one in the family room with our normal ornaments.
Becky – My husband makes me take pictures of the really creative ones so we can have a reference of cool trees to do in the future.
Callista – Is the movie worth watching?
Darlene – Ah, thanks! They were so easy to do that I almost feel guilty about it!
Ali – Ours is always the week after Thanksgiving so that those who purchase them can have them for most of December.
Amy – Anybody can do it! Don’t write yourself off so easily!
Alyce – Thanks. It’s a great Christmas tradition.
on December 9th, 2008 at 10:14 pmThose are amazing, what great ideas! I’m kind of a Seuss girl, so I think the Grinch ones were my favourite. The one with the mannequins was a little scary, and the Twilight ones didn’t seem Christmassy enough for me. I have to admit though, our Christmas tree more than slightly resembles the Winnie the Pooh tree. (I have a minor obsession with Eeyore)
on December 10th, 2008 at 4:35 amI decorated a tree once for the Festival! Thanks for the memories! (I don’t live in Utah any more, or I’d gladly do it again.)
on December 10th, 2008 at 7:16 amOh my gosh the tree you and the girls decorated turned out soo cute!! You do such a good job with the girls I can’t wait until Lexi gets to come to your group in February. That glass tree was awesome we were there when they were taking it down to get it ready to deliver and we were told that it sold for $28,000.00 how awesome is that for the Hospital.
on December 10th, 2008 at 11:08 amMichelle – You would be surprised with the ones that have nothing to do with Christmas. I’ve seen a Halloween tree once. Weird. The Twilight one was fun because each character had a present. Everything that is under the tree is sold with it as well. Some of the trees have furniture, HDTV’s, Wii’s, etc. Very expensive.
Karina – Oh good! Isn’t it fun!
Michelle – Wow! $28,000 dollars?! Do you know who bought it? Can’t wait until Lexi turns 8. We have a lot of fun.
on December 10th, 2008 at 12:25 pmWow, these are awesome! I think my favourite will be the snowman and snowflake tree. So adorable!
on December 10th, 2008 at 7:52 pmI want the glass one!
on December 10th, 2008 at 8:18 pmHow cool is that! My family is going to be out there soon, so I’ll have to tell them about this. Unfortunately I won’t be making the trip this time.
Those last two are really different! What a fun exhibit.
on December 10th, 2008 at 8:19 pmNatasha…We loved the snowman tree you did with the girls. When Carly spotted it among all the other trees she was so excited. I loved hearing all about it. Thanks for doing such a great job and engaging the girls in something so worthwhile!
on December 10th, 2008 at 9:42 pmMelody – Thanks!
Maggie – Have $28,000? It’s all yours.
Trish – Unfortunatly, it’s already over. It only runs for four-five days so that the people who purchased the trees can enjoy them for the holidays. It’s always the week following Thanksgiving.
Monica – I’m so happy that Carly was able to see it. And we love having her. I’m sure I’ll be out shopping the after Christmas sales to do it again.
on December 10th, 2008 at 10:25 pm