Long-time Bowling Green Christmas tradition continues with ‘Trees of Christmas’

BOWLING GREEN, Ky . – A Bowling Green Christmas time tradition is back for its 47th year.

The Trees of Christmas is a tradition carried on by the Houchens Center in an effort to help raise money for the nonprofit that helps provide a space for countless organizations around the area. This year’s theme is “A Story Book Christmas” and features trees decorated in different Christmas time stories like “How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” “The Polar Express” and many others. Each tree is decorated by an individual or group who benefits from the Houchens Center.

“We have different organizations and even some individuals, and they are members of the center. We use this. It’s a civics for different civic, organizations and so forth to meet here. And, we we have several memberships. And so, each tree is, decorated by one of those organizations or by an individual member,” said Carol Flora-Collins, the president for the Houchens board.

While stopping and looking at the trees is free, you can donate some money by voting on your favorite design. A little competition for the designers to raise money, and of course for bragging rights.

“We did the competition. I guess that started, as a way to the money that is dropped in the jars when people vote on their favorite trees. That money comes back to the hatch and center. We are nonprofit. And so that just kind of adds to our little, pot, you know, to keep the place running. But, you know, it’s always fun to see everybody’s calling after the end of, Trees of Christmas to say, okay, who got the most, who earned the most money,” Flora-Collins said.

One of the organizations that helped decorate this year was The Salvation Army, who will be collecting cold weather clothing. That collection will be made in honor of the late Romanza Johnson.

You can stop by and vote on your favorite tree and donate cold weather clothing starting on Nov. 29 through Dec. 22.