Christmas Tree Roundup

As a field of expertise, Christmas trees — like medicine — has generalists and specialists.
    Generalists decorate their trees with the collections assembled over lifetimes by inheritance, early childhood artistry, gifts and outright purchase.
    Specialists prefer a theme.
    A pair of animal-themed trees won our hearts this Christmas. After all, animals have a time-honored place in the Christmas story. They gathered at the manger; why shouldn’t they trim the tree?
    At Westfield Mall in Annapolis, SPCA of Anne Arundel County has decorated its Christmas tree with photos of animals in need of homes, dogs, cats and at least one ferret. “I couldn’t think of a better way to make our point,” said events coordinator Mindy Nelson.
    SPCA is one of nine non-profit groups participating in the Festival of Trees at the Crate and Barrel Court behind Santa Claus and his helpers. The charity with the most votes earns a $1,500 reward. Vote for your favorite — and yes, you can vote more than once — thru December 24. Return often enough, and maybe you’ll fall in love with a Christmas dog or kitty.
    Yule Love Labs, Too, charmed idea-seeking visitors to Calvert Hospice’s 24th annual Festival of Trees. In memory of John B. George, Lab Lovers Cindy Curtis, Dorothea George and Pam Sterner decorated it with yellow and golden stuffed Labs and black, yellow and golden wood Labs wearing red ribbons. Bright red balls and bandanas adorned with paw prints continue the theme. A stuffed Labrador angel — in a white-and-golden-flecked gown with a red ribbon tied around her waist and a golden halo — sits atop the six-and-a-half-foot tree.
    Yule Love Labs, Too, celebrates memories and the season in Dunkirk, at Tax Depot, which sponsored the tree in memory of Vincent and Lucy DeStefano, John V. Verdon and James Scali.
    All Festival trees are donated by Sneade’s Ace Hardware, purchased by sponsors and decorated by volunteers to benefit Burnett Calvert Hospice House.