At the forefront of more than 550 extravagantly decorated Christmas trees at Festival of Trees, towers The Ruby Tree. Each decoration hung on its branches was deliberately selected down to the gold ribbons, which were thoughtfully selected because gold ribbons are the universal symbol of childhood cancer.
This is 11-year-old Ruby Thackeray’s tree.
In most ways, Ruby is the typical sixth grader. She plays on soccer and basketball teams, and plans to join the swim team this summer. She’s a violinist. And, Ruby is a cancer survivor.
When Ruby was 3 years old, her parents took her to a doctor to inspect a white spot on the back of her neck. It was cancer. And it had already spread.
“They found lots of tumors in my lungs,” Ruby told the Deseret News.
An especially problematic tumor pressed against Ruby’s young heart. In the depths of Ruby’s battle with cancer, the Thackeray family considered hospice, but doctors at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital suggested Ruby try a then-new cancer medication.
It worked. “The tumor shrunk in less than two months,” Ruby said.
It’s been more than three years since Ruby stopped taking the lifesaving medication. “Since she got off treatment ... she’s had no evidence of disease, and she’s doing awesome,” said Ruby’s mom, Ali Thackeray.
For the 54th year, the Festival of Trees celebrates stories like the Thackerays. This year, Ruby was selected as the patient champion of Festival of Trees, because she exemplifies what the festival stands for — the well-being of children and the expert care families can find at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.
As patient champion, Ruby was given the opportunity to decorate her own Christmas tree, which is highlighted at the festival. Ruby picked ornaments for her tree that “describe” her, such as, “a soccer ball, and a giraffe, and baking ornaments ... and a jar of pickles.”
Like the other 550-plus trees at the festival, Ruby’s tree will be auctioned off to guests, and all proceeds go toward helping children at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital.
“This event is not just a wonderful community event, but all the funds raised go to help children in need and to support Primary Children’s Medical Center. I mean, that affects countless children, not just across Utah, but around some of our surrounding states, and it makes such a difference,” Julie Walker, a volunteer co-chair of the Festival of Trees, told the Deseret News.
Walker continued: “Even if you just come in the door and buy a ticket, the money from that ticket to even come in the door will definitely help out.”
The Festival of Trees raised $3.4 million last year, and aims to increase the funds raised this year. There are more than 80 individuals on the festival’s board of volunteers and hundreds more who donate their handmade items such as wreaths and quilts for the auction. Walker has volunteered for the festival for more than 20 years. In her decades of experience, Walker has been amazed at “the amount of people who continue to want to give.”
“What stands out to me every year is the opportunity to see the good of humankind. It is such an amazing opportunity to see people come through and be so willing to give in so many different ways. It’s awe-inspiring,” Walker said. “All of this is done to benefit children, and it’s amazing to see the hearts of people. And this is just such a magical community event.”
Beyond the Christmas trees
When you walk into the festival, you will smell the scones, Walker said.
“You do not want to miss out on having a delicious scone or sweet roll,” she continued. “And the fudge. We have 5,000 pounds of fudge made, and over 50 flavors of fudge. You definitely want to go get some of that.”
Like its menu of treats, the Festival of Trees has lots to offer guests in addition to the hundreds of decorated Christmas trees.
“We have large trees and small trees, quilts, wreaths, centerpieces, nativities and gingerbreads, and all of those are auction items,” Walker said. There are also photo ops with Santa Claus and the Grinch, and “two stages where there’s definitely just entertainment going on all the time. ... We have different choirs and dancing and music.”
Even if you don’t participate in the auction, every item there was crafted with precision and is interesting to look at. There is a Taylor Swift quilt, a Utah Hockey club tree made from hockey sticks, a gingerbread house which looks like Kevin McCallister’s house in “Home Alone” and a Barbie-inspired pink Christmas tree.
“It has just a beautiful Christmas spirit,” Walker said. “I promise you, if you enter the doors, you will feel it, and you will definitely want to come back year after year.”
When is Festival of the Trees?
Festival of the Trees is open from Wednesday, Dec. 4 through Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Mountain America Expo Center.
Tickets for the Festival of the Trees are available for purchase at FestivalofTreesUtah.org or at the door.
