COEUR d’ALENE — Brandy Read is among a plethora of people who honor Christmas in their hearts and keep it all year. 

“Christmas is my favorite holiday,” she said with a laugh. 

That much was clear Friday morning at The Coeur d’Alene Resort, where Read and her “enchanted elves,” including her daughter and grandchildren, were hard at work putting the finishing touches on their contribution to the 37th Festival of Trees, benefiting the Kootenai Health Foundation. 

Dubbed “Old Hollywood Glam,” the elegant tree features a sumptuous red ribbon, gold decorations and twinkling lights, accented with feathers and pearls and topped with a crown. It’s the centerpiece of a living-room scene studded with statement pieces, including a group of vintage caroler figures. 

It's Read’s fifth year decorating for the Festival of Trees. By the time Christmas arrives, she will have dreamed up the idea for next year’s tree and will spend the coming year searching for the perfect items to create a beautiful and immersive scene. 

“I just get a vision in my head, and I find what will make it come to life,” Read said. 

This year, decorators have trimmed 17 stunning Christmas trees. Each one has a unique theme and gifts to match, from local experiences and fine dining packages to an unforgettable three-night stay at Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles and a VIP studio tour. 

Buyers will bid on the trees in a live auction at tonight’s gala and in a silent auction that remains open until 9:15 p.m. 

Proceeds from this year’s Festival of Trees will benefit the Kootenai Health Davidson Family Hospitality Center and Walden House, which provide a welcoming, home-like environment on the hospital campus for families during medical care. 

Hospitality Center Coordinator Rod Hullinger said the center helps families who live far away or face extended treatment stay close to their loved ones. The center has 20 guest rooms, a kitchen and laundry facilities, and offers lodging on a sliding scale. Families of cancer patients and parents with babies in the NICU are common guests. 

“It’s almost like this little secret people don’t know about, this hidden gem,” Hullinger said. 

Each tree presents a different vision of holiday magic, from the classic to the whimsical. “Santa’s Sweet Shoppe” is a sugar-frosted confection of reds and whites, bedecked in gumdrops and gingerbread. At the same time, the rustic “PNW Legends Christmas” celebrates the Pacific Northwest’s logging heritage with playful nods to Paul Bunyan and Sasquatch. 

Mother-daughter duo Chrissy and Kalena Flowers drew inspiration for their tree from “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis. Atop a field of snow, icicles and shimmer in the gentle glow of the lamppost that first lit Lucy Pevensie’s way into Narnia. 

“I wanted it to be the scene right when you step out of the wardrobe,” Kalena said. 

Chrissy said her family has contributed to the Festival of Trees since 2010, the same year her son was born with medical needs that could only be treated in Spokane at the time. She said that experience makes it especially meaningful to lend a hand at an event supporting the Kootenai Health Foundation and its mission to meet the community’s health care needs. 

“It’s something we always look forward to,” Chrissy said. “Since it benefits the community, it’s even better.”

Info: kh.org/festival

    Brandy Read spends all year planning her displays for the Festival of Trees.
  

    Caroler figures help bring a vintage Hollywood Christmas scene to life.
  

    Kalena Flowers spreads fake snow over the carpet as part of a Narnia-themed display at the Festival of Trees.
  

    A close-up of “Santa’s Sweet Shoppe,” one of the Festival of Trees displays.