Festival of the Trees

Ahh, where to begin to explain this amazing festival? Well it's a bunch of people who decorate trees and then they're bought by other people (who obviously have lots of money). The purchase prices are not posted, but I know a lady who decorated a tree (was on the simple side, probably not more than $200 total in supplies including tree, reinforced stand, add'l chair, etc.), and she sold it for $900. There are trees of all sizes including small table toppers, also wreaths, quilts, gingerbread houses, handmade gifts, sweets....

Okay, not everything is a tree. Here's an example of the door wreaths, which in this case includes the handmade mantle and deco. Gorgeous. This is when I fall asleep imaging that money is not an object, I have a to-die-for house and I go and purchase my holiday deco at the festival and have it all delivered and set up. Don't you have dreams like that?


Oh, and here's just another example of the beauty and elegance of so many of these trees.

ah, yes. These people you know.

Here's my friend Sue. Jared and I took her last year for the first time, as she had never been, had never even heard of this event. Are you crazy? You've lived here how long? She was totally amazed and joined us again this year. Where else can you be amazed with your jaw dropped for hours for only $4, well unless you buy a hot-from-the-oven cinnamon roll (or scone in my case). Oh, and don't forget the sweet shop for a homemade something or the other (of course, all handmade and donated for the benefit of the festival).

Then there are those whacked-out trees, which I personally love, like this upside-down Frightmare Before Christmas themed tree. Sue just shakes her head, "I don't get it."

There are always team trees. There were definitely more "Ute" trees than "Cougar" trees this year. I also saw a Bronco tree, which Tony would have liked. Victor told me to look for the Riverton tree because he had made suckers in his foods class. Never did find the tree, so I don't know if the suckers were attached to the tree or simply donated to the sweet shop. Sorry bud.

And the darling gingerbread houses!! I took pictures and then more pictures. But which to post? Should I go with the huge, need-10-weightlifters-to-carry house, or the elegant Victorian or the Eskimo igloo? I decided on this darling Up house.

FACTS:

Every single penny goes to the charity of Primary Children's Hospital.

Approximately 90,000 people attend over a four-day period raising a total of 1.4 million bucks from last year's event. Does that give you an idea of the enormity of this very successful event?