Having a holly jolly Christmas under a 30-foot tree.
Every year the Indiana Historical Society in downtown Indianapolis hosts a special Christmas exhibit called the Festival of Trees, for which dozens of local businesses and charities festoon a tree or tree-shaped object with decorations befitting their interests and colors. Anne and I have been meaning to check out the Historical Society (with or without a holiday-based excuse) but kept failing to make time. A few days after Thanksgiving this year, my coworkers and I decided to make that time and sauntered over there on our lunch break. Anne doesn’t work downtown or at my company and therefore sadly wasn’t included in our field trip, but I took photos to share with her and with You, The Viewers at Home.
Trees are identified by their makers and/or sponsors. Enjoy!
Might as well start with some of the big guns first: our Indianapolis Colts.
Our city’s longest-running major sports team, the Indiana Pacers.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500, tried fitting an entire race car under their tree without even bothering to wrap it.
WTHR, Indy’s NBC affiliate, added autographs from their local newscasters and a giant NBC peacock on top.
A local chapter of the Future Farmers of America, throwers of the most gargantuan conventions in town.
The Indianapolis Zoo demonstrates what happens when free-range animals attack your tree.
First Choice Tree Service demonstrates what happens when free-range elves attack your tree.
The Indiana Canine Assistant Network, provider of service dogs.
Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources, providers of therapy horses.
The Chick-Fil-A in Avon — west of Indy, with one of the biggest drive-thrus around — went with a space-cow theme. Call it For All Mookind.
Jack’s Donuts, a Central Indiana chain with thirteen locations and counting.
Cups Coffee, a pretty great shop across the street from our offices.
Circles Ice Cream, a li’l shop we need to go track down sometime.
An Anglophilic tree (note the crown on top) from Union Jack Pub was among the lit trees stationed in a special darkroom.
Sullivan Hardware & Garden, with two locations on the north side and not near our house.
The tiniest tree in the house, from software developers Plow Digital and Plow Games, viewed through a magnifying glass.
Wabash College rounds out our darkroom sub-gallery.
Marian University’s Student Organization of Latinos. Exactly one (1) of my coworkers could name every flag unfurled here.
Shout-out to Anne’s sister April, who’s now a professor at Ball State.
Butler University’s esports department reminds me of a recent episode of Leverage: Redemption.
New Wave Chiropractic brings a multi-holiday skeleton tree.
ArtMix, an arts-education nonprofit, goes old-school with paper dolls.
The Caroline Symmes Children’s Cancer Endowment at Riley Children’s Hospital.
The Polish Cultural Society of Indiana, partnered with a design firm called MW Concepts.
The Museum of Miniature Houses and Other Collections.
Random Acts of Flowers, a charity that brings flowers and other kindnesses to healthcare inpatients.
The only anonymously provided tree had a nativity set embedded inside.
…and there’re a couple dozen more pics where these came from, if anyone’s interested in an encore, or if I just get in the mood to add a Part II as a surprise gift. Granted, it’d be less of a surprise now that I’ve typed about it. But I’m only ruining the surprise for anyone who actually reads the words I type throughout this very site. That means you readers now have an edge over the non-reader followers. That’s why I love you best.
[UPDATED 12/18/2022: Yep, I posted a few more trees and other museum highlights. Merry Christmas!]
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